A Life With You
by Declan Kai
Summary: [DL] Life means that much more when you have that special someone to share your joys and sorrows with.
1. Awakening

**_A/N: See profile for disclaimer. Warning: Spoilers for episode 24x3 Snow Day._**

_**This is the beginning of a multi-chap fic that I'm working on. So bare with me for a while since it's only the first chapter. Thanks to dl-shipper34 and rubyslippers87 for the constant support and bugging!**_

_**Without further adue, I give you...**_

**_-- A Life With You --_**

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Drifting away from darkness, he slowly became aware of his senses as he came to. The first to return was his sense of smell. He could smell pancakes. Yes pancakes, odd considering the fact that he was pretty sure he wasn't making any. And then, he caught the underlying scent of something sweet, spicy yet floral, something he was familiar with, but couldn't place a name to. Clearing his mind, all Danny Messer could be sure of was that the smell of pancakes was making him hungry. He felt like he hadn't eaten in days, which was accentuated by the loud rumbling of his stomach. Thinking for a moment, Danny realised that he didn't have any memory of the past few hours. In fact, he didn't even know where he was at that very moment.

His sense of taste didn't help much either. His parched throat and growing thirst screamed to be quenched, forcing him to move in the attempt to search for water. A groan left his dry mouth as he tried to get up, pain shooting throughout his entire body. That was when he became aware of his sense of touch. He discovered that he couldn't move the fingers of his left hand. Trying once again, Danny realised that something was stopping his hand from moving. The pain subsided as he relaxed his battered body. He could only assume that he had been battered from the unimaginable amounts of pain that speared through his muscles as the mere idea of rapid movement. It was only then that Danny realised that he was lying on something soft. A bed perhaps, but who's?

Taking another deep breath, Danny tried to listen to his surroundings, desperately grasping to anything that could give him a sign as to where he was. But as still and silent as he kept, Danny couldn't deny that New York's silence was still unmistakably loud. He could hear the sounds of horns blaring on the streets below, birds chirping, people yelling, music playing, and then… he heard singing. A calming voice, one he knew he was familiar with. It was faint and distant yet Danny found himself hanging on to every word and every note. But then it faded, overcome by the sound of pandemonium coming from below. He strained his ears to find the voice once again, but heard nothing.

Danny was almost afraid to open his eyes, scared to realise that maybe was wasn't where he wanted to be. Where didn't he want to be? The hospital. Danny Messer hated the hospital. He had received his fair share of hospital admittance over the past few years, but that didn't change the fact that Danny Messer hated hospitals. But he took the chance anyway. Slowly opening his eyes, they instinctively closed shut as his eyes disagreed with the brightness. Minutes passed before Danny drew up the courage to open them once again. Doing so, it seemed the earlier glimpse of sunlight had helped. Danny tried to move again, slowly this time, propping himself up against his pillows so he could rest his head against the headboard.

Danny squinted as his eyesight slowly returned to him. Although he saw everything in a blur, it was enough for Danny to recognise that he was in his own apartment, lying on his bed. But how had he gotten there?

Racking his brain to remember the past 24 hours, Danny realised he wasn't in the warehouse where he was held hostage anymore. Slowly the memories returned to him as he remembered his left hand being smashed, getting himself battered by the gang members, and Flack and his boys storming in guns blazing. Lindsay was there too, she had helped him to the EMT outside before he was taken to the hospital. She had gone with him in the bus, but everything after that was hazy. There was one thing that he remembered most of all. One feeling that stood out against the others, and that was her hand grasping his. Offering him the comfort he needed before he passed out under the influence of the pain killers that were being pumped into him.

But Danny didn't know how long ago that was as the next thing he realised was that he was lying in his bed. Squinting, Danny took in his surroundings. There was no doubt that this was his bedroom, noting the dark green walls, the dresser in the far corner and the window on his right. He squinted harder, trying to make out the image beyond his open bedroom door, but like everything else, he could only see blurs of colour. If only he knew what had happened to his glasses.

Knowing that his eyesight wouldn't get him anywhere, Danny closed his eyes and focused on his other senses. He heard footsteps, and they were coming towards him. He managed to grasp that familiar sweet scent once again before the overwhelming smell of pancakes hit him. Danny blushed as the smell elicited another loud rumble from his stomach. Opening his eyes, he looked up at the doorway where a blurred figure stood carrying what looked like a tray. Squinting once again, he tried to identify the figure before giving up in frustration.

Dammit, where the hell were his glasses?

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**_A/N: I know you're all thinking that the person is Lindsay right? But how sure are you...? It could be Stella, or Angell...or anyone for that matter...care to find out?_**

**_Please review and tell me what you thought. Any ideas are also welcomed since I'm hoping to carry this out for throughout the summer hiatus._**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	2. Comfort By Food

**_A/N: Okay here's the second chapter. Hope you're happy with who it was! Lindsay 'Montana' Monroe of course! _**

**_Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter. You are all stars!_**

**_Mucho grande thank you to crashdownmontana_ _for everything. _**

**_Dedicated to Brandy Pierce and Rebecca Reiswig...hope you like it my darlings._**

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Leaning comfortably against the door frame, Lindsay giggled as she saw Danny struggling to focus his eyesight, peering at her through squinted eyes with a growing frown on his face. 

That giggle, Danny recognised the voice in an instant as his frown was replaced by a smirk. "Montanaaaa," he sing-songed.

Stifling her laugh, Lindsay didn't reply as she stepped into the room, putting the tray of food she was carrying down on Danny's bedside table before sitting down on the edge of the bed beside him. Taking his glasses from the table, she folded them open and put them on him, watching amusedly as his grin widened when he could finally see her clearly.

"How you feeling cowboy?" asked Lindsay with a soft smile, handing him a glass of water which he took gratefully.

"I'm fine," Danny replied after emptying the glass, but bit his lip when he saw Lindsay's glare. "Alright, alright, just don't look at me like that," he added. "I'm just sore."

Her glare lightened at his admittance as she turned to get the tray. "Hungry?"

"That too," Danny replied, accompanied by his stomach's own reply, causing him to blush.

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh as Danny turned red. "Well eat up baby," she said placing the tray in front of him. Cutting a piece off with the fork, Lindsay stopped short as she noticed Danny staring intently at her. "What is it? Something wrong?" she asked.

"You called me baby."

Lindsay turned away, her thoughts running a hundred miles per hour. Maybe she was just kidding herself. He didn't want anything more than what they had the night before and this proved it. She sighed deeply before moving to get up.

"I'm sorry, I should just-" started Lindsay but stopped when Danny grabbed her arm, wincing at his grip.

"Wait."

"Danny…" she pleaded.

Noticing her wince, Danny immediately let go of her, offering his apology. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you."

Not willing to look at him, Lindsay simply ran rubbed her arms. "It's fine Danny. I should-"

"Did you mean it?"

Noticing the look of confusion pass over her face, Danny tried again. "Does it mean you want this to work? I mean…us. Do you want us to work?" he asked, his voice threaded with a tone of hope.

Turning back to Danny, Lindsay took the tray and placed it back onto the side table before taking his hands in her own, being careful not to hurt his injured fingers. She gazed at them contemplatively for a moment, grazing her thumb over his skin, savouring the feel of his hands in hers. Looking up at him, their eyes met and held before a smile broke out on Lindsay's face. Taking one of her hands away, she placed it on his cheek, her heart warming as Danny closed his eyes in comfort.

Taking another breath, Lindsay finally spoke up in reply. "You told me yesterday that you were glad of what happened between us." Seeing Danny nod, she continued. "What did I say?"

Danny shifted a little on the bed as his mind replayed their time together the previous morning.

_Waking up, Danny looked down as his breath hitched in his throat at what he saw. His Montana curled up in his arms, as beautiful as ever. Moving to poke her nose, he stifled a grin as she scrunched her nose in response before waking up._

"_Hey," she greeted with a smile, to which he replied in kind._

"_What time is it?" asked Lindsay, content as she felt Danny languidly stroke her back with his arm._

"_It's early," he replied thickly, his voice still laced with sleep._

"_Mmph, I have to be at work at 9," said Lindsay, her own voice laden with exhaustion. Sighing, Lindsay continued. "You're lucky you've got a later shift."_

"_Yeah, don't worry. Just go back to sleep. I'll wake ya up," replied Danny._

_Smiling contently, Lindsay closed her eyes once more. "I dreamt that I woke up and you were gone. You left a note."_

_Danny looked down with a thoughtful look. "Where would I go? This is my place," he replied, before grinning when she looked up at him._

"_I was hoping for a better answer," said Lindsay with a smile, placing a finger on his chin._

"_Just kidding," whispered Danny before pulling her close and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'm glad this happened."_

_Snuggling comfortably, Lindsay whispered "Me too," in response before placing a kiss against his bare chest._

A smile played on his lips as he remembered her response. "You were glad it happened?" asked Danny.

"Were? No," replied Lindsay. Noticing Danny's frown, she leaned down to him, her lips within an inch away from his. "I still am glad it happened," she earnestly explained before Danny crashed his lips to hers.

After a few minutes or to them what felt like hours had passed, they broke apart at the sound of Danny's protesting stomach. Pulling away, Lindsay took in Danny's blush and smirked before putting the food back onto his lap.

"Eat up cowboy," Lindsay said amusedly.

Danny raised his eyebrows at her as he set his sight on the tray. There was a stack of pancakes generously covered in syrup as well as a tall glass of orange juice. "You cooked for me?" Danny teased.

Lindsay bit back a laugh as Danny winked at her, replying with her own sly remark. "Well someone's got to take care of you don't they? You should be glad I volunteered. Somehow I don't think Don would be as patient with you as I am." She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "or fun for that matter."

Danny gulped and furrowed his eyebrows as his thoughts wandered as to how that particular situation would have turned out. Shivering slightly, he gave Lindsay a grateful smile before digging into his breakfast. His eyes closed in bliss as he swallowed the first bite, noting his stomach's agreement.

"God that's good," said Danny.

Lindsay blushed at his complement before wiping the stray syrup at the corner of his mouth with her finger. His eyes travelled with her finger as she brought it to her mouth, eliciting a groan from Danny.

"Montana…," growled Danny, his eyes narrowing on Lindsay as he licked his lips.

Noticing his seductive tone, Lindsay burst out laughing, patting Danny's hip softly. "Eat first; we'll see how capable you are of anything else later."

Glaring at her for a few minutes, Danny shrugged good-naturedly and grinned before going back to his food.

"Hey Montana?" asked Danny offering her a piece off his fork. "How'd I get here? I mean I remember going to the hospital but everything after that's just hazy."

Lindsay leaned forward and took a bite before replying with a smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

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**_A/N: Like? Dislike? Please review and tell me what you think. Chapter 3 is done and ready. As the saying goes...'the rate of updates is directly proportional to the number of reviews'._**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	3. Playful Jealousy

**_A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed the previous chapters. _**

**_Uber thank you to my Hot Blonde P.I.C crashdownmontana for everything. Brandy you are a rock star!_**

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Danny gave up, deciding instead to glare at Lindsay, which by the reaction he was getting of Lindsay falling off the bed, didn't work as well as he had hoped.

" Montana…," he drawled, hoping to get something out of her.

For Lindsay, seeing Danny glare around a mouthful of pancakes simply demanded a fit of laughter. Noticing his eyes, she gathered that her amusement was not the reaction he wanted out of her. Getting back onto the bed, she flashed him a brilliant smile, one which she knew would always make him smile back. Thankfully, she wasn't disappointed as his lips slowly curved up, giving her the Messer grin. He didn't know what that smile did to her, in fact, Lindsay was completely sure that she could stare at his smile (and the rest of him) without ever getting tired. And then…she looked at his eyes, narrowing her own in response. He was giving her the puppy-dog look. Danny Messer was playing her trick against her?

Danny smirked as he saw Lindsay sigh in defeat. He knew that she couldn't stand the look, no more than he could, especially when it was accompanied by her cute little pout. Lindsay, wanting to wipe the smirk off his face relented anyway, knowing she could have some fun with what she would tell him.

Giving Danny a mischievous smile, Lindsay asked. "You sure you want to know?"

Danny gulped, not expecting the sly grin that she gave him. Not trusting his voice, Danny nodded, motioning her to continue.

Seeing Danny nod, Lindsay got up and took the now empty tray back to the kitchen before returning to Danny's bedroom. She moved to the other side of the bed and took her place beside him, careful to not brush against his bruises and secretly elated as she saw his eyes follow her without a word.

Snuggling against him, Lindsay closed her eyes and smiled before she started. "Once upon a time –"

" Montana…" Danny drawled, knowing full well that she was merely teasing him. Two could play at that game.

"If you wanted to read me a story so I fall asleep, I gotta tell you there's a better way of wearing me out Montana," said Danny suggestively, wagging his eyebrows in the process.

Lindsay's only response was to poke Danny in the ribs, knowing he had bruised them. Lindsay looked dead serious for a moment as Danny yelped in pain, rubbing the offended ribs with his free hand.

Danny glared at the woman beside him, wanting an explanation as to why she poked him. "What did you do that for? It smarts!"

Returning his glare with one of her own, Lindsay replied. "I'll do that every time you think you're fine until you really are fine."

Danny's glare faltered under hers, knowing that she still harboured feelings of guilt for him being in that situation in the first place. "Linds…"

"I don't want you to get hurt Danny," whispered Lindsay.

Letting out an audible sigh, Danny pulled her closer, letting her head fall into the crook of his neck. Rubbing her shoulders gently, he tried to reassure her that he was fine. "Linds, I'm fine," he explained but stopped at her glare. "What? I am!"

Seeing Lindsay move to poke him again, he held his hands up. "No, please….Linds! God please don't poke me again."

Grunting softly, Lindsay placed her head back onto his shoulder, languidly watching his chest rise and fall with every breath. Danny for one was perfectly content to lie with her in his arms. He usually didn't cuddle, but with Lindsay he felt like he couldn't live without them. Noticing her silence, he nudged her slightly.

"So you gonna tell me a story or we gonna figure something else out?" Danny teased.

Chuckling softly, Lindsay laced her fingers with his. "When we got to the hospital, you were already out – so nothing much there." Lindsay explained. "Doctors cleaned you up – and have I ever told you how annoying nurses are?"

Danny laughed at Lindsay's obvious look of distaste when she mentioned the nurses. "What's wrong with the nurses?"

Lindsay merely snorted sarcastically. "They seemed more interested in undressing you than anything else. I could have done a better job."

Sensing a little green monster brewing, Danny took the moment to tease her about it. "Do I sense an air of jealousy there Montana?" said Danny with a smirk.

Giving Danny a look, Lindsay smiled as he laughed and pulled her close before planting a loving kiss on her temple. "You don't have to be jealous Montana," said Danny lovingly before whispering in her ear with a devilish grin. "You can be my nurse any day."

Lindsay blushed at his words but replied with her own retort. "What makes you think I want to be _your_ nurse cowboy?"

Grinning, Danny shrugged before replying. "Oh no reason, I just thought you didn't want young pretty nurses taking care of me. Showering should be fun…." Danny trailed off waiting to see Lindsay's reaction.

Her reaction came faster than he thought. Pulling Danny down by the ear, she whispered to him. "You're mine now mister. No one's touching you but me. Got that?"

Rubbing his offended ear, Danny grinned before passing off a salute. "Yes ma'am."

"Good boy," replied Lindsay with a smile whilst patting his cheek.

Danny couldn't help but laugh at their conversation. It always surprised him that Lindsay was able to give as much as she got, which was saying a lot coming from him. Their teasing and playful banter always kept him on his toes, which he was always grateful for. Pulling her close once again, he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

Snuggling closer to his body, Lindsay smiled at his gentle and loving display of affection. Her eyes closed in contentment before opening again as he spoke.

"You still haven't told me how I got here Montana."

"I flirted with the EMT," came Lindsay's reply.

"You WHAT?" Danny asked, sitting up and demanding her to explain.

"Baby, calm down before you hurt yourself," replied Lindsay. "I just flirted with them so they could take you with the bus. They even helped you up here. All I had to do was –"

"I swear to god if they touched you I'm going to kill them," said Danny, anger evident in his tone and on his face.

Lindsay merely smiled and placed a chaste kiss on Danny's cheek before continuing. "They said if you ever hurt me, to give them a call. You wanna know what I said?"

"What?" Danny asked, calming down from his earlier response.

Planting a soft kiss on his lips, Lindsay answered. "I told them –" kiss, "that –" kiss, "I'll probably –" kiss, "never –" kiss, "talk to them –" kiss, "ever again."

"I'd say that's a pretty good answer Montana," Danny replied before pulling Lindsay in for another kiss.

XXXXXXXXXX

The station was even busier following the incident at the crime lab. Sitting at his desk, Flack's thoughts mulled over the last time he saw Danny, hanging on to Lindsay, looking like a well used punching bag.

Taking out his cell phone, Flack was about to give Lindsay a ring before he heard his name called out.

"Flack!"

Turning around, he saw Chief Roberts motioning him to follow into his office. Entering the small room, Flack noticed another person standing beside him, but his mind was too pre-occupied to pay much attention. She was a leggy brunette, other than that, nothing struck him as important. Looking at the chief, Flack realised that he had been talking for the past 10 minutes, and he hadn't been paying attention, only nodding mindlessly when it seemed as though the chief was expecting a response. Finally, he was dragged out of his thoughts once again at the sound of the chief getting up and moving to stand beside him.

"Detective Flack, meet your new partner," he announced, motioning to the woman standing beside him.

Flack's jaw dropped.

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**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought!_**

**_A/N 2: Still in need of a D/L fix? Check out my P.I.C crashdownmontana's __awesome fic Montana Meets New York Again. It's brilliant!_**


	4. Meet The New Partner

**_A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed the previous chapters!_**

**_Here's the debut of my newest character, based on my darling Rebecca Reiswig. This chapter's dedicated to you my dear!_**

**_Uber thank you to my Hot Blonde P.I.C Rock Star (we're just adding the titles are we hun?) crashdownmontana. Love you!_**

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Flack was completely floored. The woman he had seen standing in the office was now his new partner? Giving her the once over, Don swallowed before holding out his hand. "Detective Don Flack Jr. It's nice to meet you."

Taking a step forward, the brunette gave Flack a once over too before taking his hand. "Detective Rebecca Lily Pierce, it's nice to meet you too," Rebecca replied in kind.

"Show her the ropes Flack," the chief called out before they both exited the cramped office.

Directing her to her desk, Flack watched intently as Rebecca sat down and made herself more familiar with her workspace. But more so, he was interested in her. She was model quality if he ever saw one. Dark brown eyes, a seductive smile, long wavy dark hair. Flack blushed slightly when he realised he was staring.

"You done staring detective?" asked Rebecca without even once looking at him.

His cheeks reddened at being caught ogling his partner. "Sorry, I just…"

"Never figured I'd be a police officer looking like this?" Rebecca offered. "Don't worry about it, I get that a lot."

Getting over his initial reaction, Flack moved to sit on the corner of Rebecca's table. If she was going to be his partner, he needed to get to know her a little better. "So, where are you from?" he probed.

Rebecca turned and looked up at him, raising her eyebrows. "Didn't you hear a word the chief said in there?" she asked, nodding towards the chief's office.

Flack looked down guiltily as he brought a hand to his neck. "Sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind right now. Guess I zoned out in there."

Offering her partner a smile, Rebecca asked, "Personal matters?"

Half nodding, Flack explained with a sigh. "You really don't know how brilliant your timing is, do you?" he asked.

"I'd like to have you know, I have impeccable timing in everything I do. It's a gift" Rebecca replied sassily with a grin.

'Well she's definitely not the quiet type,' mused Flack. 'I guess things won't be so boring around here anymore.'

"Well, like you said, your timing is brilliant," said Flack, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Noticing his lips slowly curving into a smile, Rebecca grinned as she replied, "Score one for making my handsome partner smile!" Noticing Flack's look of utter confusion, Rebecca burst into laughter as she held onto her table to stop herself from falling.

Flack's lips twitched a little before he joined in with the laughter. "You're certainly not boring, I'll give you that."

Her laughter suddenly stopped as Rebecca stood up, gazing at her partner intensely before poking him in the chest. "Associate me with the word boring and I will make sure you'll end up boring in bed."

Flack gulped and felt a sudden twang of fear pass through him at Rebecca's intense gaze. That was before she burst into another fit of laughter. Releasing the breath he was holding, Flack ran his hand through his hair in relief. "You scare me you know that?"

Chuckling, Rebecca merely passed his comment off with a wave. "Well look at it this way, if we're ever taken hostage together, you won't be hopelessly bored," she replied, but stopped as Flack's face fell. She noticed how his smile faltered at the word 'hostage' and immediately knew something had happened.

"What is it Don?" Rebecca asked. If he was going to be her partner, she needed to know him a little bit more too.

"I guess no one's told you what happened yesterday huh?" asked Flack.

Nodding her head a little, Rebecca replied, "Sure, biggest drug bust in the history of New York City, and you were at the top of it. What else is there to know?"

"Well for one thing we had a hostage situation later that day, and they broke into the Crime Lab," explained Flack. "When did you arrive anyway?"

Chuckling softly, Rebecca replied, "You definitely weren't listening to the chief. I got here last night, so what else happened?"

Sighing once more, Flack continued. "Two of our guys at the crime lab were taken hostage during the crime scene investigation. One was my best friend - Danny. I just haven't had the chance to check up on how he's doing," he said with a sigh.

Nodding in understanding, Rebecca could only offer a supportive smile. "Isn't there someone you could call, the other guys at the lab?"

Flashing Rebecca a smile, Flack nodded. "Yeah, Lindsay should know. Thanks."

Picking up his phone, Flack dialled Lindsay's cell. After a while of dialling she picked up, sounding like she had just woken up. "Linds? It's Flack. Yeah, sorry,… you sound tired….yeah, I just wanted to ask if you knew how Danny was…..oh that's good…..oh….well now I know why you're tired……I just heard him Linds….yeah yeah….not too rough you hear? Alright then…..I'll come by later. Bye."

Flack chuckled as he hung up, before explaining as he saw Rebecca gave him a look. "That was Lindsay. Danny's 'partner'" said Flack, emphasising the word 'partner' with air quotes.

Rebecca wasn't as stupid as a lot of men made her out to be because of her looks. Somehow over the years, she had gotten used to men making moves on her every minute, but here? No one's even asked her for her name since she had arrived. They merely smiled and nodded as they passed by. Rebecca loved the lack of attention; it meant she could do her work without fending off men by the minute. Setting her sight on her partner once again, she realised she liked him, purely platonically of course. Besides, he probably had a girlfriend anyway. She could see how hearing news of this Danny had relieved him. In that, she saw how important friendship was to him, a quality she admired greatly.

Noticing Flack's idiotic grin, Rebecca couldn't help but tease. "So is this Danny hot?"

Noting her tone, Flack replied with his own remark. "Hot? I guess so. But not as hot as me."

"Pretty ugly then," replied Rebecca, turning away to hide the losing battle she was having with her laughter.

Flack's jaw dropped for a second time that day. 'Did she just say what I thought she did?'

"What on earth do you mean by that?" spluttered Flack, obviously surprised at her comment.

Shrugging good naturedly, Rebecca replied. "Well you said you were hotter, and since you're not hot to begin with…I'd say this Danny has got to be pretty ugly then." Swiping the detective's cell from his hand, she began to look through his pictures. One photo in particular intrigued her; it was labelled 'Danny & Flack Sullivan's'. Noticing her partner's silence, Rebecca decided to push on with her teasing. "Well now He's hot…who's that?" Rebecca asked, innocently as she showed the photo to Flack.

Grunting, Flack merely crossed his arms in annoyance. "That's Danny for you."

"And you told me you're hotter than him? Clearly something's wrong with your mirror partner," she replied.

"Yeah, yeah, are you done bashing my ego now?" asked Flack.

Stopping to seem as though she was thinking about it, Rebecca replied with a grin, "Nope."

Grunting, Flack moved off the desk and headed to his own. Sensing that she might have gone too far, Rebecca grabbed hold of his arm before he could leave. "Hey Don, I'm sorry. I was just having some fun. You always give up so easily? Come on!"

Flack merely shrugged her off before he continued to walk past her. She went after him. "Don, hey Don! Look I'm sorry…come on," she pleaded before Flack stopped to turn around.

Her eyes narrowed onto his as she saw his lips twitch. "You always give so easily?" asked Flack, earning him a punch to the arm.

"You're such an ass you know that?" stated Rebecca.

"I could say the same about you," Flack retorted.

Rebecca grinned. "Is that your way of telling me I have a nice ass? I gotta admit, it's original," she replied.

Laughing, at that moment, Flack decided that he liked Rebecca and was looking forward to working with her. He being who he was told her outright what he thought, earning an earnest laugh from Rebecca.

Suddenly remembering his conversation with Lindsay, Flack turned to Rebecca, "Hey I'm going to go visit Danny after shift, you wanna come with? Give's you a chance to meet 2 of New York's finest CSIs."

Having no other plan in mind, Rebecca merely shrugged in agreement, "Sure."

XXXXXX

Nudging Danny softly, Lindsay placed a lingering on his lips to wake him up. "Baby, you gotta get up. Flack's coming over after shift,"

Mumbling something incoherent, he merely pulled her closer, forgetting about his injuries which ended up in Danny Messer yelping in pain.

"And you think we could do anything else…" said Lindsay, shaking her head in amusement.

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**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you think! Yes, I know there's not much D/L in this chapter, but don't worry! There's more to come!_**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	5. The Ride In

**_A/N: Once again, thank you so much to all of you who read and reviewed the previous chapters. _**

**_Thanks again to my Uber cool hot blonde P.I.C rock star crashdownmontana for everything. No matter what, you'll always rock my dear!_**

**_Enjoy the chapter!_**

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****

Their shifts were over and Flack was glad that he could finally get the chance to pay Danny a visit. The last time he saw the man, he was covered in blood sporting nasty bruises everywhere. Flack could only hope that Danny was better. Knowing Danny, Flack knew that he was probably driving Lindsay up the wall by now with complaints of not being able to do the things he wanted to, and with Lindsay there Flack could only guess the things he wanted to do were definitely not happening. Chuckling at the thought, Flack was brought back from his thoughts as Rebecca entered the car.

"You ready to go?" asked Flack, putting the car into gear, ready to head off.

Putting on her seatbelt, Rebecca replied with a smile. "Yep, I'm good."

Pulling out onto the streets of Manhattan, they soon met with another regular – traffic. Moving to switch on the radio, Flack settled on soft jazz.

Noticing the choice of music, Rebecca smiled. "Never pinned you down for a jazz fan Don."

Remembering her earlier response, Flack turned to face her with a grin. "Don't worry about it, I get that a lot," he replied earning a fit of laughter from Rebecca.

"I still don't know where you're from you know that?" said Flack.

Calming down from her giggles, Rebecca replied with a smile. "Is that my fault or yours?"

Stopping at another red light, Flack kept his hands on the wheel as he turned. "So, you gonna tell me or do I have to do a background check?" asked Flack, raising his eyebrows in the process.

Laughing, Rebecca replied as the light turned green, "I was born and bred in Atlanta."

"Well that explains the accent," replied Flack. "Parents?"

At that, Rebecca turned away. Noticing the change, Flack quickly changed the subject. "You play pool?" he asked.

Grateful for the topic switch, Rebecca turned back to face Flack, a mischievous spark in her eyes. "I'd kick your ass at pool Don."

"You wanna bet?"

Never one to refuse a challenge, Rebecca replied teasingly. "You sure you can handle it?"

"You bet your pretty ass I can. We're nearly there – and Danny has a pool table," replied Flack, his eyes still glued on the road.

"You're willing to lose to me on my first day?" asked Rebecca.

Smirking, Flack could on shake his head. "You seem so sure of yourself there Pierce. Just don't cry when I'm the one winning."

"We'll see about that," Rebecca replied. Her goal firmly set. She was going to beat Don Flack at pool. On her first day as his partner no less.

Remembering where they were headed, Rebecca realised she still had no idea who Danny and Lindsay were. "Hey Don, anything I should know about Danny and Lindsay before we get there?" she asked.

Laughing slightly, Flack replied with a smile. "Sorry, I forgot you just arrived yesterday."

Raising her eyebrows, Rebecca couldn't help but tease. "How is it you made 1st grade detective with your abysmal memory Don? I mean really – I want to know," said Rebecca with a grin.

"Did you leave Atlanta or did they kick you out?" Flack retorted.

"They kicked me out."

His eyes widening in shock, Flack turned to see Rebecca struggling to keep a straight face. He sighed slightly as she burst out laughing. "Are you ever going to be serious with me?"

Calming down, Rebecca merely smiled. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just covering my nervousness. You still haven't answered my question by the way."

"Sorry about that," replied Flack. "Well both Danny and Lindsay are CSIs. Danny's from Staten Island and he's Italian."

"No wonder he's hot," Rebecca cut in.

Laughing slightly, Flack continued. "Yes, well Lindsay's from Montana and those two have a history longer than the constitution." Noticing the look he got from Rebecca, he added. "I'll tell you about it some other day."

Nodding, Rebecca motioned for him to continue.

"Yeah, well it's not official, but I think those two are dating now, and judging from what I heard on the phone earlier, they sounded like they're happy together."

"Do I need to cry?" asked Rebecca. "Cos you look like you're about to," she added with a grin.

"They're good together okay?" replied Flack with a glare.

"Just observing," said Rebecca innocently. "So Danny's taken? Damn…"

Rolling his eyes, Flack ignored the comment and continued to drive.

XXXXXX

Back at Danny's apartment, Lindsay was still having a hard time trying to get Danny up.

"Honey, they're probably on their way now," Lindsay whined, nudging her partner slightly.

"Mmm, I'm tired," mumbled Danny, drawing Lindsay's body closer and burying his face in her hair. "Tell him to come some other time."

Chuckling at Danny's behaviour, Lindsay moved to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. "He wants to see how you're doing baby, he's worried about you. He's your best friend."

"Can't you be my best friend?" asked Danny sleepily. "That way no one else needs to visit and you can see me anytime you want."

Laughing at his childishness, Lindsay moved to whisper in his ear. "You sure you want me to be your best friend?" she teased, running her hand across his chest. "I'm sure it's easy enough to arrange baby."

Danny frowned slightly. "On second thought, you can stay what you are, Flack can come over," he replied with a little more enthusiasm.

Raising her eyebrows slightly, Lindsay asked softly with a smile, "And what am I exactly?"

Smiling, Danny took in her scent. "My nurse," he replied cheekily, waiting to see her reaction.

It came fast.

"YOUR NURSE?" asked Lindsay bewildered. In truth, she knew he was teasing but she took every opportunity to tease him back. Getting off the bed, Lindsay stood with her arms on her hips, glaring intensely at Danny before waving her arms in defeat. "Why didn't I fall for Mac? At least with him I had a better chance of promotion! Instead I'm stuck with you and your strange fetish for nurses!"

A little confused at Lindsay's explosion, Danny tried to sit up with a slight frown marring his face. "Montana…I didn't mean…it was just a" he started before Lindsay walked over and silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"You're not the only one who can act cowboy," Lindsay replied with a laugh.

Visibly sagging in relief, Danny managed a smile. "You're gonna be the death of me you know that?"

Grinning, Lindsay replied in a mock-serious tone. "Don't you dare die; we haven't put my name down as your sole benefactor yet."

Gazing at her with a shocked expression, Lindsay laughed before leaning in for a kiss. "I'd bring you back if anything were to happen to you. I love you," she whispered before their lips met.

Danny groaned as Lindsay deepened the kiss, any thoughts of pain squashed as his senses were purely focused on how good of a kisser his Montana was. Just as it was getting intense, Danny let out a loud groan of frustration as he heard someone knocking on the door. He glared at Lindsay as she merely smirked before getting up to answer the door, laughing as she heard Danny mutter under his breath.

"I hate you Flack."

* * *

**_A/N: ...and there's more to come! Next chapter: The Apartment Meeting._**

**_Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you think._**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	6. Visiting Danny

**_A/N: Thank you so much to all of you who've read and reviewed. 92 reviews guys! Get this over a hundred and you'll have officially made me the happiest guy on the planet!_**

**_Thank you once again, as always to my uber cool hot blonde P.I.C rock star crashdownmontana for everything! Wubs u hun!_**

**_This is chapter 6, I hope you enjoy it._**

* * *

****

Noticing Flack bouncing on the balls of his feet, Rebecca spoke up. "A little impatient aren't we? Are you sure he's just a friend?" she asked, a teasing grin playing on her lips.

Turning to glare at his partner, Flack replied. "You, know you've been teasing me since minute 1. Aren't you done yet?"

Laughing a little, Rebecca shook her head. "Teasing you is way too much fun to stop oh partner of mine," she replied with a smile.

Shrugging a little, Flack knocked on the door once again. "Taking a while aren't they?" Flack asked.

Chuckling softly, Rebecca was about to reply when a voice was called out from within the apartment. "Yeah, I'm coming! Keep your pants on Flack!" Struggling to stifle her laugh, Rebecca ignored the glare being sent her way. She smiled as the door open.

"Impatient much?" asked Lindsay before noticing Rebecca. "Oh um, hi, I'm Lindsay," she added before offering her hand.

Flack stepped aside as Rebecca took Lindsay's hand with a sweet smile. "Oh umm, Linds, this is Rebecca Lily Pierce, my new partner," he introduced.

With a warm smile Lindsay motioned them to enter. "Oh come in guys, it's nice you meet you Rebecca."

"It's nice to meet you too Lindsay," Rebecca replied genuinely, stepping into the apartment with Flack by her side.

"Where's Danny?" asked Flack, looking around.

"In bed, he's not allowed to move," Lindsay supplied.

"Doctor's orders or yours?" enquired Flack.

"Mine," replied Lindsay sternly, earning a laugh from both Flack and Rebecca.

Chuckling, Lindsay excused herself to check on Danny for a moment. "Make yourselves at home," she called out.

Seeing Lindsay slip into the bedroom, Flack turned to Rebecca who was sporting a happy smile. "She seems really nice," she said.

Nodding slightly, Flack replied with a smile as he took a seat on the sofa, motioning for her to do the same. "Yeah she is, a little scary sometimes too – just like you."

Laughing slightly, Rebecca replied with her own retort. "Well do you stare at her the way you stare at me?"

Holding his hands up in mock-surrender, Flack grinned. "No way, Danny would kill me if I went anywhere near Linds," he replied. "I'm not kidding."

Shaking her head, Rebecca laughed as she asked herself, 'What on earth have I gotten myself into?'

Hearing the two detectives laugh from the bedroom, Lindsay chuckled as she perched on the side of the bed beside Danny. "You feeling okay?" she asked with a loving smile.

Offering her a small grin, Danny replied with a yawn. "Yeah, just a little tired that's all."

Leaning in, Lindsay gave him a short peck before running her fingers through his short hair. "How bout I get Flack in here? Then you can go to sleep after. Those meds should be kicking in soon," said Lindsay softly. "Oh, and Flack's got a new partner too," she added.

"A new partner?" asked Danny, a little confused.

Nodding, Lindsay moved to get up. "Her name's Rebecca. Be nice," she said before leaving the bedroom.

"Hey guys," she greeted the two detectives sitting on the couch bantering happily. "You wanna see Danny now? You have to make it short though; he took his meds half an hour ago so they'll kick in any minute now."

Turning to Rebecca, Flack smiled at her slight nod. "Lead the way Monroe."

Following Lindsay into Danny's bedroom, Flack couldn't help but tease the man. "Lookin' a little purple there Messer," he said with a grin.

Grinning back, Danny replied with his own retort. "Well, you're lookin' mighty red there Flack,"

Noticing that all 3 of them were staring at him, Flack asked defensively. "What?"

Grinning at him, Rebecca replied with a giggle. "He's right you know – you're a little red there partner."

Blushing harder, Flack tried to reply nonchalantly. "What? I'm just hot."

"Haven't we had this discussion before Don? We already established that you've got a retarded mirror," Rebecca replied.

Cutting in on the banter before it got out of hand, Danny gave Lindsay a look before he spoke to Rebecca. "So you're Flack's new partner eh?"

Turning towards Danny, Rebecca grinned widely. "Yep that's me. I'm Rebecca, great to meet you Danny," she replied.

Chuckling, Danny moved a little as Lindsay sat down next to him. "So where ya from?" he asked, glancing up lovingly at Lindsay as she ran her fingers through his hair once again. He loved it when she did that.

Glancing at Flack for a moment, Rebecca smiled as she saw his smile widen at the couple in front of them. "Atlanta," she replied, turning back to Danny who nodded slightly before yawning.

"Sorry," he apologised. "The meds are kicking in,"

"Guess you're not up for a game of hoops eh Messer?" teased Flack, earning him a hard glare from Lindsay. "What?" he asked innocently.

Shaking her head, Lindsay merely went back to gazing into Danny eyes as her fingers ran through his hair languidly.

"Montana could play for me, and she'd still beat you hands down," replied Danny with a grin.

Spluttering, Flack looked at his friend in shock. "Say what?"

Now joining in Danny's teasing, Lindsay looked at Flack with an innocent smile. "Face it Flack, Danny's right."

"And I'd still kick your ass at pool," added Rebecca.

At that, Flack grinned as he replied. "We'll see about that Pierce." Turning to Danny, he asked, "Hey Dan, you mind if we play a short game? She seems to think she can kick my ass."

Glancing up at Lindsay, Danny grinned as she gave a slight nod. "Sure – and she's probably right too," he replied.

"Whatdya mean?" asked Flack. It seemed as if it was Flack against the world all of a sudden.

"Well, I kick your ass every time Don," said Danny. "And Montana here can kick my ass, so it's only logical that your partner can kick your ass," he reasoned.

"What kind of logic is that?" asked Flack.

"The keep your partner happy logic," replied Danny with a grin.

Simply standing there with his mouth gaping like a fish, Rebecca took a hold of Flack's arm and tugged him out of the room. "Thanks Danny," she called out with Flack dragging along behind her.

Getting up to close the door, Lindsay went back to her spot beside Danny. "I can't believe you admitted that," she said.

"Well you did," replied Danny. "No point lying."

"You're just the sweetest you know that?" said Lindsay, going back to stroking his hair.

"You like doing that don't you?" asked Danny.

"Doing what?" Lindsay replied a little confused.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Danny smiled contently before opening them again and replying. "Running your hands through my hair, you've been doing it a lot lately."

"You want me to stop?" asked Lindsay softly.

Feeling the medicine kick in little by little, Danny replied softly as his eyes began to droop. "No"

With a loving smile, Lindsay leaned down to place a kiss on his lips. "Sweet dreams baby," she said softly.

Smiling, Danny called out one last time. "Montana?"

"What is it?" Lindsay asked in a whisper.

"I love you….," Danny trailed off as he fell into a peaceful slumber.

Looking down at their entwined hands, she brought them to her lips and whispered back, "I love you too Danny."

It was a while before Lindsay stepped back out into the living room. She grinned as Flack handed over 100 bucks to Rebecca. "You kicked his ass?" asked Lindsay, still grinning.

Turning back at Lindsay's voice, Rebecca's smile broke out. "That would be an understatement," she replied.

"Pure luck," said Flack with a grunt.

Laughing at the frown marring his face, Lindsay replied. "Aww, don't be a sore looser Flack. You can do that when I beat you."

Rebecca laughed harder at her partner's face. Grunting, Flack leaned onto the pool table and folded his arms. "Danny?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Asleep," Lindsay replied with a smile.

"He's lucky to have you Linds," said Flack.

"Thanks," replied Lindsay, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Well we better get going," he announced, gathering up his things. "You ready to go?" he asked, turning to Rebecca.

Grabbing her purse, she nodded. "It was great meeting you Lindsay," she said with a warm smile.

"You too," replied Lindsay, returning the smile. "I'm sorry we didn't talk much. We should go out sometime," she suggested.

"That would be great," replied Rebecca.

"Flack's got my number, give me a call when you're free," Lindsay said.

Nodding, Rebecca let Flack lead her to the doorway.

"Take care of him Linds," said Flack, grabbing her in a hug.

"I will," replied Lindsay. "Thanks for coming guys."

"Our pleasure," replied Flack before leading Rebecca down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Take care," Lindsay called out before slipping back into the apartment. All the while, she couldn't keep the smile off her face. With a slight bounce in her step, Lindsay moved to turn off all the lights before going back into the bedroom to settle in beside Danny.

The one thought on her mind, _he said he loved me…_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought.**

**Next on 'A Life Without You' : Morning Love**

**Thanks a bunch,**


	7. Morning Love

**_A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed! We've gone pass the 100 review mark!_**

**_Despite the fact that this chapter was SUPPOSED to be posted tomorrow - a certain someone has convinced me to change my mind. _**

**_Hope you enjoy the chapter!_**

****

* * *

Danny stirred as the morning light filtered through the blinds. Shifting slightly, he winced as the familiar throbbing pain ran through his abdomen once again. As usual with injuries, the pain seemed worse a few days after the initial incident than what was originally felt. He was still high on adrenalin in the warehouse, managing to move his battered body purely on impulse. It was now that his body had the chance to protest against the beating he received. It was times like these that Danny Messer was glad for the invention of pain killers, pain killers which happened to be located on the bedside table – on Lindsay's side.

Danny moved to get up; clenching his teeth through pain, but it was too much. He had enough trouble getting up when Lindsay was helping him that doing it on his own seemed near impossible. Turning his head slightly, Danny frowned. He didn't want to wake her up, he hated waking her up, but he couldn't stand the pain much longer.

Nudging her slightly with his elbow, he called out. "Montana." Seeing no response, he tried again. "Come on Montana, wake up."

Feeling the slight nudge, Lindsay became instantly alert, checking to see if Danny was alright. "What is it baby? You okay?" asked Lindsay with worry.

Chuckling softly, Danny laughed at the worried expression on his girlfriend's face. Lindsay was normally even tempered, thinking situations through rather than acting on impulse, unlike him. But with him, all that was thrown out the window as she was quick to over react. Taking one of her hands in his, he stroked her skin with his thumb in an attempt to calm her down a little. "I'm fine Montana, though I could do with a vicodin right now," he replied.

Sitting up, Lindsay helped Danny do the same, slipping in a cushion behind his back to make him more comfortable. Turning back, she poured a glass of water from the jug on the bedside table and handed it to him before grabbing the pill bottle.

"Here," said Lindsay, placing 2 pills in his hand as she took the glass from him. She handed it back as he popped the pills into his mouth. Getting up, she tied her hair into a loose ponytail before moving to his side of the bed and perching on the side. "Morning," she said playfully, giving him a peck on the lips.

"Mornin'," Danny replied, with a grin.

"You want to go back to sleep or you sick of that yet?" asked Lindsay, smiling.

Danny shook his head. "Nah, these pills will knock me out in a little while. Might as well see a little daylight whilst I can," he replied before blushing as his stomach protested against the lack of food.

"I think your stomach agrees with you there honey," replied Lindsay, laughing slightly at Danny's red cheeks. "Anything you want in particular?"

Throwing her his grin, Danny replied. "What I want never seems to be on the menu."

"Well, then maybe it's time for you to get a better menu," replied Lindsay mirroring his grin.

Unfortunately for Danny, being pumped full of meds for the past 48 hours had left his brain a little slow on the uptake. "Is that your way of telling me to get better faster or get a new girlfriend?" asked Danny, confusion evident on his face. "If it's the latter, I have to say the current slip says no refund, and I'm a little low on cash," he replied with a smirk.

Laughing, Lindsay bent down to kiss the smirk off his face. "Then I guess it's the former then cowboy," she replied before getting up and leaving for the kitchen.

Danny groaned in frustration, glad that the guys who did this to him were in custody, or he would have shot them himself. He had the best night in his life not two days ago and now here he was lying on his bed, hand in a cast, bruised and colourful enough to be called a pretty work of art. 'At least Montana's still here,' he thought with a smile. "And I ain't goin' no where either."

XXXXX

Stepping out of the elevator, Flack craned his neck around in search of a familiar face. 2 days after the incident, Flack marvelled at how fast the cleaning crew had worked to clear the floor of broken glass. Spotting Stella, he motioned Rebecca to follow as he called out to her.

"Stella!"

Finishing her conversation with a few lab techs, Stella turned at the voice. "Hey Flack," she replied. Noticing Rebecca standing next to him, Stella asked, "Who's this?" pointing in Rebecca's direction.

"This is Rebecca Lily Pierce, my new partner," supplied Flack. "Say hello Rebecca," he teased.

"Is that some sad way of repaying me for my teasing Don? Cos it needs work," Rebecca quipped before turning to Stella and offering her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Laughing at Rebecca's earlier statement, Stella shook her hand. "Likewise, it's about time someone put him in his place. Lisa doesn't do a very good job and frankly, I'm just plain tired of doing it."

"Lisa?" asked Rebecca.

"Never mind," replied Flack. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Stella. "So how's the lab?"

"When Mac told the guy that the bomb was enough to make the cleaning crew very unhappy, he wasn't kidding," replied Stella with a laugh. "The damage looks worse than it actually is. Aside from our little bomb stunt, most of the equipment were unharmed. Luckily for us, the shipment for the new stuff arrives in a few days."

"Hopefully we get a crime-free holiday," said Rebecca, looking around.

"I second that," replied Stella. As though realising something, she turned to Flack. "Have you heard from Danny at all?" she asked.

Smiling slightly, Flack nodded. "He's fine; we went to go see him yesterday."

"We?" asked Stella.

"Well, I got stuck with her," started Flack, pointing at Rebecca, "yesterday. I was going to go see Danny after shift anyway, and asked if she wanted to tag along."

"You make me sound like a stray dog, such a gentleman you are Don," said Rebecca with a glare.

"Hey, you won 100 bucks. Lay off," replied Flack.

"Fine, fine," replied Rebecca with a wave.

"I don't think I want to know," admitted Stella with a laugh.

Regaining her composure, Stella motioned around her. "So you here sightseeing or you need something?" she asked.

"Sightseeing," they both replied before bursting into another fit of laughter.

"Meet 'n' greet?" asked Stella.

"Yup,"

"Alright then, how bout you guys go hang out in what's left of the break room and I'll round up the guys?"

Nodding, Flack led Rebecca down the hall to the break-room, or at least what's left of it. They barely had time to sit down when the rest of the team filed in.

"Guys, this is Rebecca, my new partner," Flack announced.

Smiling, Rebecca turned to face the team.

Her jaw dropped.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought! No hate mail please. I know it's a cliffhanger - again - but you get why tomorrow! (Hopefully)_**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	8. The Reunion

**_A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed!_**

* * *

****

"Adam, Adam Ross?" Rebecca called out after recovering from her initial shock.

Reflecting Rebecca's look of disbelief on his own face, Adam merely stared at her before he found his voice. "Pierce?" he asked. Seeing her nod, his own face broke out into a grin. "Oh my god it is you!" he exclaimed before running forward to embrace her.

Returning the hug, Rebecca's smile widened as she closed her eyes to savour the moment. "I can't believe this," she whispered, tears threatening to spill over. "It's been so long!"

Clearing his throat, Flack moved to interrupt the little re-union, reluctantly. "Umm, you too know each other?" he questioned.

Both turning towards him, Flack got the creeps seeing them both grin widely. "Since I was 6," replied Rebecca.

"I can't believe it's really you," said Adam with a smile.

"Ditto," replied Rebecca. "We need to get together sometime to catch up."

Laughing, Adam merely waved it off. "Don't worry about it – that's a must."

Returning the laugh, Rebecca turned to the other occupants of the room. "I'm glad to meet you all too, I'm Rebecca," she introduced, before moving to shake everyone's hand.

After the introductions and pleasantries were over, Rebecca moved over to join the conversation with Hawkes and Sid, Adam had left to check on his results of another case. After meeting everyone, she was still getting used to the names.

Hawkes turned to Rebecca. "I guess you've met everyone on the team then, well mostly everyone."

"Mostly?" questioned Rebecca. "There are still more of you?"

With a laugh, Hawkes nodded and replied. "Well there's Danny and Lindsay, and our boss Mac."

"And my counterpart, Dr. Peyton Driscoll," added Sid.

Rebecca chuckled slightly. "I've actually already met Danny and Lindsay," she replied.

"Really? When?" asked Hawkes.

"Yesterday," she replied.

"You know, this reminds me of this girl I once knew. Her friend was in an accident, and I accidentally walked in on them once doing –" started Sid before Hawkes interrupted.

"Too much information Doc,"

"Right, sorry," replied Sid, rolling his eyes in the process.

Rebecca chuckled, her mind remembering the looks that passed between Danny and Lindsay the night before. It seemed as if they didn't even care that she and Flack were in the room. She had always wanted that, for someone to look at her and see everything, not just the body, but deeper. To her, only time would reveal if there would ever be such a person.

As if remembering something, Hawkes turned to Stella. "Hey Stel, how long is Lindsay off for?" he asked thoughtfully.

Stella furrowed her brows in concentration. Before Mac had left, told her that Lindsay had requested some time off. Remembering, her face cleared. "A week," she replied.

Nodding, Hawkes chuckled. "Danny will be kicking by then," he said with a laugh, causing the occupants of the room to break out into snickers.

The laughter was cut by the ring of Flack's phone. Excusing himself, he walked out of the break-room, leaving Rebecca to talk a little more with Adam. A few minutes later, Flack walked back in. "Sorry guys, but we gotta roll. Pierce, come on," he announced before briskly stepping out once more and headed for the elevator.

Right beside him, Rebecca stepped stride-for-stride. "What do we got Don?" she asked as they both stepped into the elevator.

Opening his casebook, Flack began to fill her in on the details he was given. "Two bodies on Liberty Island," he said.

"Liberty Island?" questioned Rebecca. "Isn't it patrolled by the coast guard 24-7?"

"Yep, which is why we need to figure out how the bodies got there," replied Flack as the doors closed, Liberty Island their next stop.

XXXXXX

Danny winced as the pain shot through his side. He'd tried to hold it in for the past 15 minutes but the pain was just unbearable at certain points.

"Sorry baby," said Lindsay, giving him a sheepish smile. "It'll be over soon," she cooed.

Danny glared at her. "Funny Montana, really funny," he said through clenched teeth.

Chuckling, she moved to apply the balm on his other side. The doctor had instructed her on how to apply it since he couldn't do it himself – for now.

"Come on Messer," she teased. "You get kidnapped for hardly a day and you're complaining like a 4 year old. Little girls have more with than you."

"Did you just compare me to little girls- OW!" yelped Danny as Lindsay pressed on a sore spot. "That hurts you know."

"Sorry baby," Lindsay replied with a chuckle. "Stop being such a baby."

"You're supposed to be grateful, I wouldn't BE in this position if I didn't trade shifts with you," Danny pointed out.

"I know, and I'm very glad you did," she replied, chuckling slightly as Danny stared at her with his mouth agape.

"What happened to you being all guilty about this?" asked Danny, raising his eyebrows.

Giving him an innocent smile, she bent down to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "Well lets just say you did a great job convincing me that it wasn't my fault, and that it was all yours,' she murmured against his lips.

Danny merely grunted. "You are so lucky that I'm down for the count or –"

"Or what?" interrupted Lindsay, a daring grin dancing on her lips.

"Tie you up somewhere and see how you like not being able to move," Danny replied.

Lindsay's grin grew, leaving Danny a little confused. Moving over Danny, she placed her hips in between his, bracing herself on top of him before slowly lowering her body. Nudging his head a little she whispered against his neck whilst placing kisses along his jaw line and running her fingers along his bare chest, "Can I choose where, or what, or who you tie me up to?"

Danny groaned in frustration, knowing that Lindsay was just teasing him. "You're going to kill me you know that?" said Danny a little breathless.

"Haven't we had this discussion before?" asked Lindsay her eyes set on her prize.

"You talk too much," replied Danny before capturing her lips with his, deepening the kiss at every opportunity.

Groaning, Lindsay had to use every ounce of her strength to pull away from him, only to be rewarded by his familiar smirk settling onto his face.

"Well that was fun," Danny teased.

"Ha, ha, ha," replied Lindsay in a mocking tone before whispering in his ear once again. "Wait till you get better cowboy, then I'll show you what's fun." Lindsay smirked as Danny groaned in frustration – again. He'd been doing that a lot lately and Lindsay knew that she was the reason for it all. Chuckling, Lindsay bent down to give him a loving kiss before getting up.

"You want anything to eat?" asked Lindsay whist tying up her hair into a loose ponytail.

"Are you on the menu this time?" asked Danny with a grin, which disappeared at her knowing look. "Fine, fine, coffee would be good," replied Danny in defeat.

Chuckling at his expression, Lindsay smiled at how much Danny reminded her of a little boy who couldn't get a new toy. Wordlessly, she walked to the kitchen, taking out bits and pieces after deciding to make a sandwich as well.

Her heart stopped beating for a moment as she heard the sound of a glass break from Danny's room. Running to the bedroom, she stopped at the doorway, a look of complete anger on her face.

"It was an accident," said Danny sheepishly, motioning to the glass that was now scattered on the floor. He hoped to god that she wouldn't poke him again, sighing in relief as he saw her shake her head and walk back out into the kitchen.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_I'm afraid to say that updates this week is going to be a little random. I'm on a week internship with a broadcasting company so I'll be busy for most of the week. I'll find time to update this, dont worry - but it won't be daily. Please bear with me for a while, it's only a week! I'm just as bummed as you are I specifically changed the ending so I don't give you another cliffy - love me!_**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	9. What's Next

**_A/N: Sorry for the long delay guys, it's been a busy week and then I had a bout of writer's block. Yeah...it's still partly here too. Anyways, here's the next chapter, hope you like it_**

**_Thanks to my P.I.C crashdownmontana for everything, glad you're feeling better hun!_**

**_Humongous thanks to Rebecca for helping me with the plot line - you're rockin' darlin'_**

**_And of course...thanks to all who've read and reviewed!_**

**_Without further adue..._**

* * *

"Strange place for a body dump don't you think?" asked Rebecca, looking around the area as the uniforms taped off the scene.

"A little," replied Flack, looking around to find anything out of the ordinary. "She could have been dumped at sea and washed ashore."

Rebecca nodded. The victim was a young woman, around 20, her body battered and covered with bruises, her head hung and swayed as the waves washed up against the rocks. Her body somehow managed to lodge itself between 2 rocks, preventing her from being swept out.

Bending down slightly, Rebecca took a moment to look around the body, careful of her footing as the rocks moved from underneath. With nothing to go on, Rebecca stood up and smiled as she saw Hawkes and Stella cross from under the yellow tape and headed towards Flack. Slowly, she gingerly made her way over the rocks back towards them on solid ground.

"Hey guys," she greeted as Flack finished briefing them on the situation.

"Pierce," Stella acknowledged with a nod. Gone was the playfulness in her, she was here to work, and that was that. "So where's the body?" she asked, picking up her kit.

"Follow me," instructed Rebecca as she started to make her way to through the rocks once again.

"Hawkes, you take the perimeter," Stella called out before moving to follow Rebecca.

With an affirmative nod, Hawkes bent down to open his kit and began working.

XXXXXX

Staring at the ceiling, Danny lay silently as he watched the shadows play. No matter how hard he tried, Danny couldn't control his thoughts as they always drifted to the woman now in his kitchen. Lindsay Monroe, his Montana.

'My Montana,' thought Danny, leaving him with a sweet and lingering grin.

She was finally his, and he hers. She had integrated herself so far into his life that Danny couldn't fathom living without her. Over the past few days, Danny realised how much he loved having her sleep in his bed and wake up in his arms. Although the thought of it lasting left a warm and loving feeling deep within, he couldn't help but wonder if it would. She would be going back to work in a few days, which could also mean going back to her apartment.

A part of him wanted to ask her to stay, to move in. Another part of him pulled back. He didn't want her to move in did he? It was too soon, and she probably wouldn't go for it anyway. His history with women was pretty much the same every time, until he met Lindsay that is. Until now, his past relationships were superficial; he had never given his heart away to anyone. With Lindsay, it was different; he wanted to give it to her, but willingly or not, she had stolen it from him the first time he laid eyes on her.

Lindsay had practically moved in the past few days to take care of him and Danny couldn't remember ever being happier. It didn't mean he was happy with his injuries and lack of ability to do the things he wanted by himself, but it lessened the pain knowing that she was constantly by his side.

Smiling to himself, Danny couldn't believe how lucky he was to have the woman he loved beside him. For once in his life, loving someone no longer frightened him.

XXXXXX

Having finished processing the scene, Stella and Hawkes loaded the evidence into black SUV to take back to the lab.

Turning to Rebecca, Flack smiled slightly. He couldn't deny the fact that he was slightly attracted to her. But it was purely physical; at least that was what he told himself. You would have to be crazy not to, she had a great body and a nice personality. What's not to like?

"You ready to go?" he asked, tilting his head towards their squad car.

Taking one last look around, Rebecca nodded and followed him back to the car. The ride back was relatively silent. Rebecca stayed silent, staring out the window. Her mind kept going back to the young victim. She was so young and so beautiful. Probably with a bright future ahead of her, Rebecca didn't doubt that there were many loved ones who would mourn her death. But then the questions changed, in her mind – the body was no longer the victim, but rather she saw herself, battered and bloody. If she died, who would mourn her?

Fortunately for her, the train of depressing thoughts halted as Flack placed a comforting arm against her shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, one hand still on the wheel and his eyes never leaving the road.

"I'm fine," she whispered in reply, more so to herself. Turning to him, she managed a small smile. "It's just the case," she said in an attempt to reassure him as well as herself.

Nodding, Flack decided not to push too much. "Alright then, but if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

Rebecca grinned. She didn't know how, or why, but she never could stop smiling when Don was around. 'He's just funny," reasoned Rebecca, afraid of any other implications. She blushed at the thought.

Noticing the red tinting her cheeks, Flack nudged her a little. "Why so red there Pierce? You having dirty thoughts about me?" he teased, hoping to lighten the mood. He loved teasing her, now he knew why Danny and Lindsay loved to tease each other so much.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rebecca replied with a grin.

Not expecting that answer, Flack stuttered a little before turning a tinge of red.

"Why, turning a little red there Flack, you thinking dirty thoughts about me?" she asked, running a finger down the length of his arms.

Flack stifled a groan as images of a certain brunette ran through his head. Shifting slightly, he turned to glare at her. However, the glare didn't have the intended effect judging by the laughter that emanated from the woman beside him.

XXXX

Finishing the last dish, Lindsay walked to the living room to straighten it up a bit before heading back to the bedroom. Walking in, a loving smile appeared on her face as she took in the sight of Danny asleep on the bed. He looked so peaceful and calm, his face clean shaven from the morning. Silently, Lindsay mused as she fought to come up with an answer as to whether she preferred him clean shaven or scruffy.

After a while of staring, Lindsay decided she didn't care. He had more going for him than just mere looks, he had given her something that no man had ever given her before; hope. Hope that it was possible for her to be loved the way she could only dream of.

Moving towards the bed, she slipped under the blanket and shifted closer, feeling the warmth his body provided. Closing her eyes in comfort, Lindsay smiled as she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her tighter against him.

Over the past few days, Danny's apartment had been her home. 'My home', she thought, leaving a warm feeling in her stomach. Her stomach had lurched when she first saw Danny in the state he was in, but she had stood by him till today with every step of his recovery, and frankly, no matter what he thought, there was no where else she would rather be.

XXXX

Flack ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he set the phone down on the table. Having just gotten off with Stella, the last few hours of waiting for the evidence to be processed had led them to a dead end; they had nothing. Knowing they needed a break, possibly to come up with a new angle, he turned to his partner, who mirrored his own defeated look.

"It's getting late, why don't we get a bite to eat? I'll buy," suggested Flack, a smile playing on his lips.

Laughing in response, Rebecca nodded and got up off her chair. "Sure thing partner," Putting on her coat, she turned to Flack and added "Lead the way."

Returning the laugh, Flack placed a hand on the small of her back as they left the precinct, heading out into the chilly New York night.

….

Having ended up at a diner close by, Flack spoke up as their drinks arrived. "So how do you know Adam?" he asked. He had only met Rebecca a few days ago and to him, it seemed weird that one of his friends had known his partner for a lot longer than he had.

With a tired smile, Rebecca released a breath before replying. "I've known Adam since I was small. We used to be neighbours, and then I lived with him for a while."

Flack choked on his drink. "You lived with him?" he asked a little loudly, a pang of jealousy rushing through his heart. Why? He ignored the reason why.

Noticing the tone, Rebecca blushed slightly and nodded. "For about…2 years before he moved to New York," she replied.

Leaning back into his seat, Flack took another sip of his beer. "So what else don't I know about you Pierce?" he asked.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out detective," Rebecca replied with a grin.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of time on my hands while lab rats do their thing," said Flack, adding a wink at the end.

The next few hours went by with a blur as the two spent the time getting to know one another, laughing over ridiculous cases and relatively sad jokes. Clutching her sides from the pain of laughter, Rebecca was about to reply to a witty comment Flack had made before she was cut off by a high pitched squeal.

"FLACKY!" the woman called out before running to their table, though with her dangerously high heels and miniskirt, she could barely pass power walking.

Reaching their table, the woman with her well endowed chest and billowing blonde hair managed to squeeze herself onto Flack before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

'Who the hell is she?' thought Rebecca. Although a part of her could guess, she held on to the hope that she was wrong. Somehow the look of shock on Flack's face calmed her a little.

Pulling away, the blonde wiped Flack's lips slightly to remove the lipstick smudge. Adjusting her skirt a little, she turned towards Rebecca with a smile.

'A fake smile more like it,' thought Rebecca as she replied with her own. "I'm Rebecca Lily Pierce, Detective Flack's new partner," said Rebecca, holding out her hand.

Smiling a little more, the leggie blonde took her hand. "I'm Lisa Culling, Donnie's girlfriend."

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought!_**

**_So now the drama starts, and since I'm still going through a tough time getting into the mood to write, I want to do this well enough for you all! Not sure exactly when the next update will be, but whenever it is, it'll be worth your while._**

**_First impression of Lisa anyone? Tell me what you think!_**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	10. The Invitation

**_A/N: Well I've just noticed the number of reviews this story has. Thanks to everyone who've read and reviewed - you make my day._**

**_Thanks to crashdownmontana and rubyslippers87 for everything! You're both rockstars darlings!_**

* * *

"It's nice to meet you Lisa," Rebecca replied curtly. Silently she wondered if her tone was too plastic and fake. No, it wasn't nice to meet her. She was having a perfectly enjoyable dinner with her partner and now this bimbo had to appear? It was all a little much, although a part of her remained un-phased. After all, it wasn't that big of a shock that Detective Don Flack had a girlfriend; he's kind, funny and cute. What's not to like?"

Quietly, Rebecca's mind began to drift away as Lisa and Flack talked. She didn't really care what about, it didn't concern her. He lips began to curl up into a smile as memories of the past few days entered her mind. On her very first day, she had met Don; he had in fact blown her original thoughts on New York men out the window. Contrary to what she'd heard, Don wasn't rude – generally. He was kind, with manners and the smile you just want to wipe off. Of course, that was the same with Danny too. They both had killer smiles, but she already knew that his smile was reserved for the woman he named 'Montana'.

She didn't know why but the image of Danny and Lindsay together always made her smile. It was something in the way they looked at each other; it was as if it was a need to be close, like a craving needing to be continuously satisfied. She had never experienced it herself; it was a fairytale love – one that came true for others, but not her, at least, not yet.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her cell began to vibrate in her pocket. Glancing at the display screen, Rebecca furrowed her brows; it was an unknown number. Flipping the phone open, she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Becky!" came Adam's excited voice, causing an involuntary smile appear on Rebecca's face. She could recognise his voice anywhere.

"Hey Adam," she replied. "I haven't been called Becky in years you know that?"

"Yeah, well that name isn't changing any time soon," Adam replied.

Rebecca laughed. "I haven't heard your laugh in a long time Becky," said Adam, causing her to blush.

"Yeah, well it's been a long time," she replied. "Is this a friendly neighbourhood call or did you want something?" she asked playfully.

"Oh yeah – I was wondering if you were busy or something. I thought you might like to come over for a bout of 20 questions," replied Adam.

Rebecca could already see the grin plastered on his face. Glancing at the couple in front of her, it seemed as if she was the last thing on their minds. Since she didn't have anything else to do anyway, she agreed. "Sure, I'll be there in a bit."

"Alright then, I'll see you in a bit," replied Adam before hanging up.

Closing the phone, she moved to get up but paused as Lisa all but jumped off Flack's lap. "Well I gotta go sweetie pie," she announced, leaving Rebecca willing herself to not roll her eyes.

Turning to Rebecca, Lisa smiled brightly. "It's nice to meet you too Rosanna."

Rebecca corrected her. "It's Rebecca."

"Oh, yes, Rebecca. My mistake," Lisa replied, all the while a fake smile plastered on her face like a mask.

Noticing Rebecca getting up too, Flack spoke up. "Where are you going?"

To that, she allowed her eyes to roll. Glancing back, she saw Lisa disappear off somewhere before replying. "Adam called. I'm going to his place, spend some time with him, you know, catch up and stuff."

Flack frowned. "Oh well, alright then. I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Trying to hide his disappointment, he could only hope that it wasn't too obvious in his voice.

Nodding, she replied before picking up her purse and coat before turning to leave. "Sure thing partner,"

Leaving the restaurant, Rebecca let out a breath. She didn't even realise that she was holding it. It was then that realisation hit her. She wasn't a New Yorker, and even if she was, she didn't know where Adam lived. Silently berating herself, she resisted the urge to smack herself on the head, instead settling on a sheepish grin. Opening up her phone, she dialled Adam's number.

When he picked up, Rebecca merely listened as he laughed himself to brink of suffocation. "Are you done yet?" she asked with mock irritation. Calming down slightly, he asked where she was so he could come pick her up. Looking around, she named her location before hanging up. Glancing across the street, she decided to get some doughnuts and coffee. Besides, it's always nice to have food.

Twenty minutes later, she was walking through the door to Adam's apartment, carrying the bag of doughnuts she'd brought along and leaving Adam to handle the coffee.

"This is a great place," Rebecca commented. In truth it really was. Being a lab tech, Adam wasn't a guy to leave things lying around – too often at least. He was neat yet the place was homey. She liked it. Now if only she could find a place of her own. Having started work the day after she arrived, Rebecca hadn't had that much of an opportunity to look for an apartment. The hotel was all she was managing on at the moment.

"Thanks," Adam replied before gesturing towards the couch in front of the TV. "Have a seat."

Setting the bag down on the coffee table, Rebecca plopped down onto the couch and let out a sigh. 'It's been a long day," she murmured.

"Yeah, well, that's expected from an attractive detective such as yourself," replied Adam with a grin.

With a smirk, Rebecca replied, 'Mr. Ross, if I didn't know you better I'd say you were hitting on me."

"So nothing's changed then huh?" said Adam with a laugh.

Chuckling herself, Rebecca shook her head, "Nope."

Laughing harder, Adam waved at her to stop. "So how've you been Becky, it's been what, over 4 years now?" he asked with a smile.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Rebecca replied. "I've been good. Finally got myself transferred out of Atlanta, you remember how it was, crazy."

Nodding Adam moved to grab a doughnut. "Well New York isn't any better you know."

"It's a fresh start, better than nothing," Rebecca replied.

"Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the orphanage?" asked Adam.

Rebecca shook her head. "Not really. I mean I get emails from Sam once in a while, but that's it," she replied. It wasn't something she publicly advertised, but Rebecca was an orphan; her parents had died when she was young. Although her supervisors knew it from her file, only Adam knew the entire story, and so far, he had remained the only one. She was happy with it being that way.

XXXX

Silently playing with her hair, Danny lazily ran his fingers through her soft curls, an equally lazy smile playing on his lips. "Montana?"

"Yeah?" replied Lindsay, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.

"I like this," said Danny,

"Like what?" asked Lindsay, a little confused.

"This," he stated, gesturing between them. "You and me, here, like this."

Smiling, Lindsay moved to place a kiss on his bare chest. "Me too baby."

"I love you,"

"I love you too."

"Hey Linds," Danny started. "Are you gonna, you know, go back to your place when you go back to work?

After a short silence, Lindsay replied softly. "I guess so, why?"

Stuttering slightly, Danny didn't really know what to say. "No…nothing. Just asking," he replied hastily. "Think we can go out sometime, before you go back?" Danny asked.

"You asking me out on a date cowboy?" asked Lindsay with a grin, turning to lean on her front. "Hmm?"

"I guess I am," replied Danny, bending down to capture her lips with his. "Whatdya say?" he murmured.

"I think you've got yourself a date cowboy," Lindsay replied before pulling him closer.

XXXX

Noticing the time, Rebecca realised that it was nearly 2am. "I think I should head off soon, it's late."

With a smile, Adam nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on, I'll go with you."

"You don't have to do that," Rebecca protested.

"Becky"

"Fine, fine," Rebecca relented, tossing her hands up in the air dramatically. "Nobody trusts me, such a sad world."

"Get used to it," said Adam, grinning from ear to ear. He had really missed Rebecca's theatrics. It never failed to amuse him. "So where are you staying anyways?"

"Sheraton," Rebecca replied.

Adam looked a little shocked. "Wow, how'd you manage that?"

"A little swaying of the hips never hurt anyone Adam, and I stand by that saying till this day," said Rebecca mock-seriously before bursting out with laughter. "I still haven't managed to find a place yet."

It suddenly hit him.

"Why don't you move in here?" Adam asked. "I've got a spare room, all I ask is that you and Flack don't make too much noise when he comes over."

Rebecca glared at him. "Do you want to drink the rest of your coffee or wear it?" she asked, watching Adam grinning widely. "Do you really mean it, I mean me moving in here."

Adam nodded. "Of course I am, it'll just be like old times."

"Except we don't have your parents to cook for us," Rebecca pointed out.

"Well that's what a take-out menu and a phone is for," replied Adam. "So you want to?"

"If you're sure you don't mind, I mean… I don't want to…," started Rebecca before she was cut off.

"Right, so it's settled in then. You're moving in here," said Adam before getting up, dragging Rebecca along with him. "Now let's get you back to your hotel before you fall asleep on my couch. I may be nice, but I'm not giving up my bed for you."

"How kind," Rebecca replied whilst putting on her coat.

"Yeah, yeah," said Adam. Holding out her purse, he turned to her. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, you know you don't have to-"

"Move it!" Adam cut in, pushing her out the door before turning off all the lights and locking the door closed.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestion? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Check out the latest update on my profile, there's a short summary about this fic in the news section_**

**_Thanks a bunch,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	11. Informing The Partner

**_A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed this fic. Your support has been great so far so I hope you continue to stay with me!_**

**_For one thing, the response to Lisa's character is the same throughout, you either hate her or you hate her. Well, stick around and you'll see what happens to everyone in the next few chapters!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

****

"Morning Don," Rebecca greeted, shrugging off her coat and hanging it over the back of her chair. "Cold morning," she added with the attempt to make conversation.

Suddenly alerted by her presence, Flack mentally shook his head as he managed a small smile. "Mornin' Pierce, yeah it's pretty chilly today," he replied.

She may be new, but that didn't stop Rebecca from noticing the forced expression on Flack's face. "Hey, you alright?" she asked, wondering if she should bring Lisa up.

She watched him shrug before turning back to his computer. "I'm fine," he replied. "How'd your night with Adam go?" he asked, not looking at her. Instead, Flack stared at the screen but not seeing any of it. Half of him wanted to hear that it went bad, the half wanted to know why he cared at all.

"We had a good time," replied Rebecca, her smile widening as the previous night's memories returned. "In fact, we had a great time. It was nice to see him again," she added.

Risking a glance, Flack turned slightly to see a happy smile prominent on her glowing face. She was glowing? Mentally shaking his head once again, Flack pretended to go back to work, when in truth, he wanted to know what happened last night. He knew he had no reason to pry, but something in him made him want to know.

"So how long have you and Lisa been together?" Rebecca asked, her fingers flying across the keyboard. In her mind it was a perfectly sound question, innocent and un-prying. After all, she was his partner, so she needed to know these things.

"A couple of weeks," replied Flack. "I'm sorry she interrupted last night, I didn't know she was going to be there."

"That's okay, she seems err… nice," said Rebecca, willing herself not to laugh at her own cover up. Truthfully, she thought Lisa was a blonde bimbo, but who was she to judge? Lisa did manage to get Don Flack to go out with her after all.

"Yeah, thanks," replied Flack. A frown began to appear on his face. His mind boggled him. He knew that Lisa was more his type, blonde, well endowed, not exactly exceptionally bright, but easy enough to let go when the time came. Well now he sounded like he employed her for a service. At least, before Lindsay showed up Danny did the same thing. Moving from woman to woman, never staying when things got too complicated. But that all stopped when he decided to fall in love with Lindsay.

Flack chuckled, Danny Messer in love, story of the century. Silently he cringed. When had he become so cynical? He was happy for the both of them, but he was still left with his awful mood. Glancing at Rebecca once again, Flack decided that spending some time with her would cheer him up.

Getting up, he moved to sit on the edge of Rebecca's desk. "Hey, why don't we go apartment hunting, you don't have a place yet and the case ain't going no where," said Flack with a grin.

Smiling back, Rebecca shook her head slightly. "Thanks Don but it's okay, I've already found a place," she replied.

Trying to stop the frown on his face from making a come back, Flack cleared his throat. "Really, where?" he asked, genuinely interested.

Rebecca was about to reply when her phone began ringing. "I'm moving in with Adam," she said before flipping the phone open to answer.

Stunned was a word that he would have approved of, shocked worked just as well. Rebecca was moving in with Adam? It was all strange territory with Flack. He didn't know why he cared so much, but having learnt that Rebecca was moving in with Adam sent a pang of jealousy through his heart. What was he jealous of anyway?

Snapping the phone shut, Rebecca stood up and put her coat on. "That was Adam, I need to go to the crime lab for a bit," Rebecca informed. "Do you want to come?"

Flack shook his head solemnly. "No thanks, I've got some paperwork to catch up on anyway. I'll see you later," he replied, willing his eyes to stay glued to the monitor. He was afraid that they would betray his own feelings.

"Alright then," Rebecca replied happily. "See you!"

XXXX

"Come on cowboy, you said you wanted to go out," said Lindsay, trying to get Danny out of bed.

"I change my mind," he replied, his face buried in her hair.

Lindsay chuckled at Danny's child-like behaviour. "Come on you big baby, get up, I'm hungry."

Lindsay yelped as Danny turned and pinned her securely beneath him. "See, I'm not that damaged as you make me out to be," said Danny before bending down and nibbling on Lindsay's bottom lip. "And I'm hungry too."

Seeing the feral look in Danny's eyes, Lindsay pulled him down for a kiss. As to how long they stayed lip-locked was anyone's guess. Pulling away with the need to breathe, Danny grinned down at Lindsay.

"So how bout it Montana, a night in?" whispered Danny, bending down once again to place kisses on her neck.

Lindsay shivered as she felt Danny's lips against her bare skin. "Mmm, I could be persuaded," she murmured, letting her feelings get the best of her. Truth be told, she missed him holding her so tightly. A part of her wanted to pull away so he wouldn't hurt himself; the other part wanted nothing more than to enjoy being pleasured. The former won, hands down.

Danny was definitely feeling a lot better, but he knew not to push it. If Lindsay caught him wincing, he was sure she'd tie him down to stop him from moving at all. Knowing that he had better stop before it went too far, Danny pulled back, giving her a grin.

"You want anything in particular for dinner?" asked Danny, stroking Lindsay's hair lightly.

"Italian sounds good," Lindsay replied, brushing her lips against his. "I'll go make the order."

"I'll do it," said Danny quickly before jumping off the bed. "I have the sudden itch to walk."

"You sound like you haven't walked in days or something," Lindsay teased.

Danny glared at her. "And that would be whose fault exactly?"

"Indirectly yours," Lindsay replied, getting up and giving his ass a smack before walking out of the room, keeping her face straight at his incredulous look.

"Lindsay Monroe, come back here," Danny yelled.

"Come get me cowboy," Lindsay called back.

"Montana," he drawled, following her. "You're evil you know that?" he said, coming up from behind and wrapping his arms around her.

"But you love me anyway," replied Lindsay with a grin.

Danny sighed. "Yeah, and I'm still wondering why."

"Because no one would eat fried bugs with you," she replied, glancing through the take out menu she had picked up from the kitchen counter.

"That's one good reason," replied Danny. "But I can think of another one."

"And what would that be?" asked Lindsay, turning in his arms and wrapping hers around his neck.

"Cause you love me too," Danny replied, bending down to brush his lips against hers.

"You bet I do cowboy," she replied before returning the kiss. Feeling him grin against her lips, she deepened the kiss, eliciting a moan from the man holding her.

"I love you," Danny whispered, his forehead leaning against hers, his eyes staring into hers.

"I love you too"

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Thanks again to everyone who've reviewed! More drama is in store, so stay tuned._**

**_Messermonroe_**


	12. Their Thoughts

**_A/N: Thanks again to everyone who've read and reviewed! Hit the 200 mark and I shall officially be the happiest man today! _**

* * *

It had been two long weeks since Lindsay had gone back to work. For Danny, not having her around all day everyday made his apartment seem empty all of a sudden. For a man that wasn't used to being so dependent on someone, Danny couldn't ignore the strangeness he felt at home. No, his apartment, it wasn't home anymore without Lindsay. 

Home, a familiar term he had used countless times in his past, and until now, was his apartment, his belongings, where he felt most safe. But it was only now that Danny realised that his apartment was no longer his home. Sure, it was still his apartment and his belongings, but it wasn't where he felt most safe. Not anymore.

His home was now in the arms of the woman he loved. The arms of Lindsay 'Montana' Monroe, the very woman who managed to make him fall head over heals in love with her without even trying. Danny chuckled to himself as his past memories drifted in and out of his mind. Over the years, Danny had managed to make a reputation of himself as a lady's man; the lab's resident Casanova so to speak. He always had a string of women to go by, dates after countless dates if you could even call them that in the first place. His Ma had always wanted him to settle down with a nice girl, but in his mind, he never saw the point. Why settle down when he was having the time of his life?

Eventually everything changed with the arrival of a certain country girl from Montana. Danny remembered their first day together, in his mind, she was merely a replacement for Aiden; a position he wasn't all too happy to be replaced in the first place. He had a certain sense of spite against the new girl, pledging himself to make her stay as un-welcomed as possible to make sure she knew just that, she wasn't welcomed in his eyes, and never would be.

It was what came after that began to scare him. They would always fight, but it was friendly banter. She kept him on his feet with the unspoken challenge of competition in what ever they did. Slowly but surely, Danny realised that his feelings towards her had changed. They became friends, close friends at that. It was when she opted to go undercover that he realised the extent of how far his feelings for her went. It wasn't a mere crush that he had developed over their friendship; no it was more than that. He wanted more from her.

After his failed attempt at taking their relationship to another level, everything went downhill. He had trouble sleeping, forcing him to lose himself in work, anything that would take his mind off her, but nothing worked. For someone who used to be a lady's man, he had never yearned to hold someone before. Now, he craved the feeling of having her in his arms again and at times, he wondered if he would ever get that chance again.

Danny laughed slightly as he took hold of a cue stick and leaned against his pool table. It seemed so long ago that he was pining for her, and now, well he was still pining for her, but for a whole different reason.

Now he could tell her he loved her, he could hold her; touch her in the ways he could only dream off. He was hers, and to Danny, he knew that he would never feel the same way with anyone else. He was in love, and for the first time in his life, couldn't be happier because of it.

But that was a lie; there were still things that could make him happier, the first he could handle, and the second still far off. Whether he was willing to admit to himself that he wanted them was the question.

It had been two weeks since Lindsay had gone back to work, and Danny couldn't argue that he missed her every second she wasn't with him. If he could see himself now 2 years ago he would have probably died of laughter. Danny Messer was inarguably smitten over a woman, in love and willing.

Lindsay was working late and judging by the time, she was probably going back to her apartment. Although she wasn't by his side all the time anymore, they still spent a lot of time together, but most of all, Danny loved it when they did nothing; simply spending time in each other's arms, barely speaking. With her, he had a sense of belonging. With her he was alive.

Danny yawned. Even though he was free to walk around, he was still on meds, which made him frequently nod off to sleep. Moving to get ready for bed, his heart yearned for his lover at the sight of his empty bed. Getting under the covers, he stared at the ceiling, watching the lights play, wondering, if he would get any sleep. He never slept well when she wasn't with him, and it seemed as if it would be a long night.

XXXX

Flack sat alone at the bar; nursing his beer as though no one around him existed. Sitting quietly, he let his thoughts consume him. Never before had he ever felt the need to prove himself to another, why he was trying to prove his worth was a reason he didn't even understand. He had a good job, good friends and a gorgeous girlfriend, so why was he so intent on trying to catch the attention of his partner?

Rebecca Lily Pierce stumped him. He didn't know what it was but something about her made him want to find out what made her tick. He had already accepted that he was more than attracted to her physically, but it was more than that. She had the strange ability to make him smile without even trying.

She was nothing like Lisa. Lisa was blonde and voluptuous. There was no doubt about that. Rebecca on the other hand had dark hair but just as hot. Yes, Don Flack had a hot partner. What confused him was the way his thoughts always strayed, no matter who he was with, she was on his mind. He had made the mistake of calling Lisa Rebecca once, and vowed to never again. Of course, he was glad she didn't hear him, it just slipped out involuntarily. Deciding that he had enough of comparing the two women, Flack motioned for another beer before losing himself in his thoughts once again.

With a clink of glass, Flack was brought back to the present as the bar tender placed another beer in front of him. With a nod of thanks, he took a gulp; willing his misery to disappear with every swallow. A part of him knew that drinking his problems away did nothing, but he knew he needed it anyway. Looking around, Flack noticed the number of couples around him. Secretly he wondered what Rebecca was doing. Probably doing something with Adam, since ever since she had found out about Lisa, she'd rebuffed every one of his attempts at spending alone time with her outside of work.

Adam. Was this all his fault? As much as he wanted to deck the guy, inside he knew that there was nothing he could do. She had moved in with Adam a few days ago, and although he offered to help her move, she had quickly declined his help, suggesting that he rather spend his time with Lisa instead. The thought made his blood boil. Couldn't she see he wanted to spend time with her? Thinking that he was being rather obvious, a small part of him wondered if he wasn't. But it didn't matter anyway. He still had Lisa to worry about, not that he even knew where she was. Every time they were together, all he could think about was what Adam and Rebecca were doing. It made him sick.

With that thought, he realised what he wanted, and what he needed to do to get it.

XXXX

Tossing her keys onto the kitchen counter, Lindsay let out a sigh as she plopped down onto her sofa, pulling her feet up with the hopes of releasing some of the day's tension. It had been a long shift, much longer she had anticipated. Although a part of her wanted to go see Danny, she knew that he'd already be asleep. He didn't sleep that early to begin with, but the meds always made him drowsy.

From the week that she spent staying with him, she had practically memorised his routine. He would try to stay up to wait for her, but always end up falling asleep before she got home. She had never told him, but seeing him sleep never failed to bring a smile to her face. He always looked so peaceful, so vulnerable, and only she was able to witness it. It made her feel special; he always made her feel special.

With another sigh, she moved to get ready for bed. Lindsay Monroe was raised to not overly depend on anybody, but lately that philosophy was thrown out the window as she practically opened herself to Danny, and he with her. They needed each other more than the air itself, and tonight he wasn't there to hold her. That was partly her own fault to begin with, but Lindsay knew that even though he was feeling better, he still needed his rest. The bruises had healed, leaving his fingers the only visible evidence of the ordeal.

Mentally shaking herself, Lindsay rid the thoughts of the incident from her mind, instead imagining the feel of Danny around her. Getting under the covers, she closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her, all the while a smile playing on her lips as her thoughts moved from Danny's smile, to his grin and to his smirk.

Soon enough, her breathing evened out with sleep, her thoughts still on the man she loved so dearly.

XXXX

"He likes you too you know," said Adam gingerly sipping his coffee.

"Who?" Rebecca asked, leaning back against the headboard, mug in hand. Rebecca was glad that she had moved in with Adam. It gave her the chance to talk to him whenever she wanted to, wanting his insight on any matter what so ever. As they both sat on her bed sipping their coffee, her mind spun at what he had just said.

"You know who I'm talking about," said Adam, a knowing look on his face.

"Come off it, he doesn't."

"Yes he does, you know it. I also know you're pining for him," replied Adam.

Rebecca could only stare at Adam. "I am NOT pining for him," she replied.

"Then why is it all you talk about is him, and how funny he is, and how miserable you are?" asked Adam, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

Rebecca stuttered, she didn't know what to say anymore. Adam was right on every note and there was nothing she could argue with. Noticing her silence, Adam smiled.

"He likes you and you like him, and yet you're both miserable for god knows what reason," Adam stated. "I'll never understand you Becky; you're complicated in ways I could only imagine."

"You know me better than anyone else here," Rebecca whispered back.

"And I better always be, I refuse to be replaced by some homicide detective," Adam replied with a smile.

Rebecca smiled back. Adam had always known how to cheer her up in the strangest of ways having once worn an ice cream on his head only to make her laugh.

"Thanks Adam, for everything," said Rebecca, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I'm here for you Becky," Adam replied softly. "You're like the sister I never had."

"You have a sister," Rebecca pointed out.

"Yeah, but you're the one I never had," Adam replied with a grin. "You're a lot hotter too."

"Are you flirting with me on my bed?" asked Rebecca with a grin.

"My, you shouldn't let Flack find out or he'll kill me after the word 'flirted'," replied Adam, eyes wide.

"Weirdo,"

"Freak,"

"Are you done yet?" asked Rebecca.

"Since you're smiling and on the brink of laughter, I'd think so," replied Adam with a grin before pulling her in for a hug. "I need another coffee, you want one?"

Seeing her nod, Adam hopped off the bed to the kitchen, leaving Rebecca behind to compile her own thoughts. She knew she liked him, but Lisa meant that they could never be.

At least for now…

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you think!_**

**_Welcome to the start of more interesting stuff to read - which will eventually arrive. Thanks for all the support!_**

**_Messermonroe,_**


	13. The Next Step

**_A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed! Maybe this chapter will satisfy some of your wants, but you never know!_**

* * *

****

Stepping through the elevator, Danny smiled as the familiar sterile smell of the lab hit him. Although he had been allowed to visit a few times with Lindsay, with the threat that if he so even thought about coming back early, she'd break his other arm just to keep him out of the lab. He was pretty sure she was kidding, but sometimes even that he questioned.

Moving through the familiar corridors, Danny weaved through countless greetings and warm wishes as he finally reached the office he shared with his girlfriend. Poking his head in, Danny frowned as there was no sign of her at all. Walking in, he moved to his desk, shedding his jacket and slinging it over the back of his chair. Looking around the office, Danny smiled at the familiarity that it brought him. It was the one place that Danny and Lindsay could call their own, it was their office. Maybe it was time for them to share more…

Eyeing Lindsay's desk, Danny spotted the all familiar case file lying neatly on a pile of paper. He swore it was calling his name, and as usual, his curiosity never heard any other reasoning his brain could provide. Glancing around quickly, he picked up the manila folder and opened it to reveal the case details within. It had been a while since he was able to go through a case, even though Lindsay occasionally updated him on her cases, it just wasn't the same as being able to handle the evidence, processing, putting things together.

Losing himself in details of the case, Danny never realised someone enter the office until he felt the head of a gun pressed against his back.

"Put the file down and nobody gets hurt."

Hearing the familiar voice, Danny let out the breath he never realised he was holding. "Montana," he drawled, turning around sharply and taking her in his arms. "It wasn't the welcome I was hoping for, but it'll do," he whispered as his lips brushed against hers softly.

Smiling, Lindsay placed her piece on the table before winding her arms around his neck, pulling him down and deepening the kiss. "Better?" Lindsay asked after they had pulled apart.

Danny grinned.

"What're you doing here?" asked Lindsay, leaning in to him and nuzzling his chest.

"Thought I'd swing by and see if you wanted to go out for lunch," replied Danny, before placing a kiss on Lindsay's head. "And I missed you," he added.

Lindsay smiled as Danny held her tight, his warmth seeping into her skin in the most tantalising of ways. "I missed you too," she whispered back.

After a few minutes of simply being in each other's arms, Lindsay pulled away slightly before placing a kiss on his lips. "I just need to drop these off by Mac's office then we can go okay?" said Lindsay, indicating the stack of files sitting by her desk.

"Sure, I'll just see if…" replied Danny, cut off before he even finished his sentence.

"No."

"Montana," Danny pleaded. He wanted something to do, and he wanted to go back to work, but apparently, he wasn't the only overprotective one in their relationship.

"I'll be back in 5 minutes," Lindsay called out as she walked out.

Danny sighed and plopped down onto his chair, swivelling round to boot up his computer. Maybe he could find something to do….

XXXX

Flack sat silently on his couch as he let his thoughts consume him. He'd had enough of all the pent up emotions within him, Rebecca was everything Lisa wasn't. She could make him happy, where else Lisa merely kept him, satisfied so to speak. He'd decided to break it off with Lisa in the hopes that it would clear his mind, give him a new perspective as to where he stood.

Glancing at the clock, Flack realised that she should be here any minute now. He'd opted for his own apartment rather than somewhere public, which may have lessened what yelling, may ensue. Although Lisa was a nice enough girl to begin with, she wasn't the one. That he was sure of.

With a knock on the door, Flack stood up to open it, glancing through the peep-hole to make sure it was her.

"Flacky!" greeted Lisa, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Hey," replied Flack in a less than excited tone.

"What's wrong Donnie?" asked Lisa, her smile taking away any sincerity that could have come from behind those words.

Staying silent, he led her in slightly before closing the door.

"I…" he started and closed his eyes before expelling a breath. What on earth was he supposed to say? I want to break it off because I have a crush on my partner? Hah! A crush doesn't lead to breaking up with your girlfriend. You've got bloody have feelings for her, deeper ones that a mere high school crush.

"I can't do this anymore…" he whispered, his eyes barely meeting hers.

Her mood suddenly changed. Gone was the sweet smile, replaced by a narrowing of her eyes, her lips stretched thin, and her nose flared. "It's because of HER isn't it?" asked Lisa, her voice, filled with pent up anger.

His head shot up and their eyes met. "Who?"

Lisa snorted, less than gracefully. "You know exactly who I mean Flack," Lisa spat out. "That slutty partner of yours, hanging off you in god knows how many ways when I'm not around."

At that, Flack's blood boiled. "Don't you dare talk about her like that," said Flack through clenched teeth.

"You forget Don, we're not together anymore," replied Lisa a smirk growing on her angered face. "Which means I have no reason to be nice to any one of your friends what so ever, your 'slutty' partner included," she continued.

"You bitc…," started Flack, but was abruptly cut off with a slap to his face.

"If you want that slut so much, fine with me. I'm gone," said Lisa, before storming out of the apartment, slamming the door in the process.

Left alone in the middle of his apartment, Flack rubbed his stinging cheeks slightly. "Well that went well," he muttered under his breath.

XXXX

"Here's your food, enjoy your meal," said the waitress kindly, her smiles directed solely at Danny alone.

"Thanks," he replied with a grin.

"That's just rude," said Lindsay her face a cross between annoyed and amused.

"What?" Danny asked, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"You saw how she flirted with you," Lindsay pointed out.

Danny smirked. "Jealous Montana?"

"Should I be?" Lindsay asked. Taking a bite from her own sandwich, she raised her eyebrows.

At that, Danny's smirk disappeared, instead replaced by a loving smile. Leaning forward and taking one of her hands in his, he entwined their fingers before looking up at her. "Never," he replied softly. "You'll always be my one and only."

Lindsay blushed, her cheeks turning red.

"No need to turn red there Montana," Danny teased, his smirk making her laugh.

That was how they spent the next hour, talking and laughing. Danny was over the moon, it amazed him how her laugh would never fail to bring a smile to his face, leaving behind a warm feeling deep within.

"Linds, move in with me," Danny blurted out, leaving them both shocked at his outburst.

"What?" Lindsay asked, her eyes wide, trying to comprehend what he had just said.

"I want you to move in with me," replied Danny sheepishly, his own cheeks turning red. He looked down and fingered the napkin sitting next to his plate. "If you don't want to it's okay, I love having you with me all the time, and I know it might be too early, but I still really want you to."

"Danny," said Lindsay, but it went unheard.

"I like waking up with you in my arms, having you around, holding you, but if you don't want to that's okay too I guess, but I…"

"Danny!"

At her outburst, he shot his head up. "What?"

"Breathe," said Lindsay with a smile, chuckling slightly.

Taking his hands in hers, their eyes met. "What do you want Danny?" asked Lindsay.

Danny stared at her. "I really want you to move in with me," he said. Looking down he added, "But you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I know I don't have to," replied Lindsay.

"What?" he asked, his head shooting up again.

"You've said I didn't have to if I didn't want to four times now Dan," replied Lindsay. "But what if I do want to?"

"Really?" asked Danny, his smile widening, his back straightening. "You really want to?"

At her nod, Danny sagged in relief, eliciting a chuckle from the woman sitting across him. "What? You expected me to say no?" Lindsay asked.

Danny grinned sheepishly. "In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect," he admitted, letting Lindsay take his hands in hers.

"Well I guess now you know," replied Lindsay, and they both leaned forward for a brief kiss.

With their hands still entwined, no words needed to be said about the love that they shared for one another, their eyes saying more than words could ever describe.

XXXX

Lisa sat silently, fuming as she clutched her coffee tightly as if waiting for it to break in her hands. Taking a sip, she sighed slightly at the taste of Starbucks coffee. Looking towards the counter, a smile fluttered to her face as she spotted none other than Adam Ross, taking a seat at a table alone.

Sauntering up to his table, she sat down opposite him. "Adam right?"

Looking up, Adam recognised the face. He had seen her with Flack once or twice before but still remembered her face. "Yeah, it's Lisa right?"

Lisa nodded, offering him a brilliant smile. "I heard that you're pretty close to Rebecca."

Adam nodded, wondering why she cared. "I've known her since I was 6. Why?"

Lisa shrugged. "Just wondering, I haven't had the chance to talk to her all that much," she said. "Where do you know her from?"

"Atlanta," said Adam. "I've known her since she was at the orphanage."

"Rebecca's an orphan?" Lisa asked, genuinely interested.

Adam nodded. "Yeah, her parents died when she was young, no secret there," admitted Adam. "She's a great friend; she's like a sister to me."

Lisa smiled at the new piece of information she'd managed to acquire. Glancing at her watch, Lisa smiled. "Sorry Adam, but I have to go. Thanks for the chat," she said before disappearing off into the crowd.

"That was weird," muttered Adam.

XXXX

"I'm exhausted," said Rebecca, collapsing on Adam's bed.

"Time to share with the class," he teased.

"Long case and annoying interrogations; why does every single man have to visually undress me?" asked Rebecca, sighing.

"They normally get big burly men, it's a treat when a supermodel interrogates them," replied Adam, getting a smack to the head.

"Very funny," replied Rebecca. Leaning on her arms she looked up at him and grinned. "Time to share with the class," she repeated.

"I met Lisa today," admitted Adam.

"Really?" Rebecca asked, raising her eyebrows. "What did she want?"

"I was at starbucks, minding my own business, and she just appears out of nowhere. Sat down in front of me and asks about you. It was weird."

"Me?"

"Yeah, she asked how I knew you and stuff," replied Adam.

"What did you say?" Rebecca asked.

"That I met you at the orphanage, and that your parents died when you were young. That's all," Adam replied.

"I haven't told anyone," said Rebecca.

"Sorry, I thought…"

"It's okay, it's not a secret anyway," replied Rebecca. "I wonder why she wanted to know, it's not like we talk or anything."

Adam nodded. "Flack?"

"He's off today," said Rebecca with a shrug.

"I heard Danny came into the lab again today," said Adam.

"Really? Any arms broken?" asked Rebecca with a laugh. Over the past few weeks, she had managed to spend some time with Danny and Lindsay, finding she enjoyed their company immensely. They made her feel welcomed. Naturally, Rebecca also knew of Lindsay's pledge to break one of Danny's arms to get him to stay out of work until he was fully well. She also knew of Danny's curious nature, it amused her to no end.

"Don't think so," replied Adam with a grin. "Linds was smiling all day, I figured Danny kept his hands."

"Those two are just too sweet together don't you think?" asked Rebecca dreamily.

Adam nodded with a smirk. "Yeah, just like you and Flack," he teased, earning him a smack to the head.

"Ha Ha Ha, very funny," said Rebecca, rolling her eyes. Sure she liked Flack; that much she'd already admitted to herself, and much to her own dismay, to Adam, and Lindsay and Danny. With a pledge to lose a number of limbs, they'd all promised to never tell Flack anything.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes, wondering what Flack could be doing at that very moment. 'Probably happy with Lisa,' she thought.

She didn't know how wrong she was…

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_This is definately not the last we see of Lisa, what she does next, is something you'll find out soon._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	14. Stepping Boundaries

**_A/N: Thank you to all of you who read and review, you have no idea how greatly appreciated it is. Also, thanks for putting up with my inconsistent posting. It's my first time writing something like this, so I truly do hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am. _**

**_Without further adue, here's the next chapter. Enjoy._**

****

* * *

With a smile, Rebecca sat down at her table and booted up her computer. Taking a sip from her morning coffee, she began to sift through her emails, one taking her interest. It was an email from Stella, a reminder about their get together tomorrow night, with the threat of bodily harm to those who didn't turn up. Rebecca chuckled; this would be the first time they got to go out as a group now that Mac and Peyton were back from London.

Turning slightly, she glanced at her partner's empty table. The chief had told her that he'd taken the next two days off without giving her any more details. She felt a little hurt with the fact that he hadn't bothered to tell her why he was taking the time off. Not wanting to dwell on that fact any longer, her thoughts drifted back to tomorrow night. She had no doubt that it would be fun, and was looking forward to it eagerly.

Shaken out of her mental reverie with the beep of her phone, Rebecca pulled it out to notice that she had received a message. Opening it, she realised that it was from Flack, asking her to come over later after shift. Wondering why, she shrugged and replied that she would.

With that done, Rebecca sighed, eyeing the mountainous pile of paperwork sitting on her desk. Willing herself to move, she got started, the thought of seeing her partner filling her mind, bringing a smile to her face.

XXXX

Lindsay awoke to a loud yelp. Opening her eyes, she sat up; eyeing her surroundings and finding Danny sprawled on the floor beside her. They had apparently fallen asleep on the couch, the TV still on mute.

Danny groaned, bringing a hand to his forehead. Luckily he hadn't fallen on his bad hand, which would have been even more of a hassle to convince Lindsay that he was fine. Waking up, Danny had forgotten where they were, thinking that they were in bed, he had turned slightly, which was effectively him rolling off the side of the couch. Looking up, his tired eyes met amused ones, Danny growled slightly at the sight of Lindsay barely holding the laughter in.

"What's so funny Montana?" Danny asked gruffly as he got off the floor.

"Oh nothing, just the morning entertainment," Lindsay replied, letting the laughter out as Danny sat on the edge of the couch.

Danny pouted. "Haha very funny; that hurt," said Danny with a glare, his free hand fingering the cast.

Lindsay sat up beside him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Poor baby, come here," directed Lindsay, motioning for him to lie down on her lap. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on his forehead, her smile widening at his grin. "Better?"

Danny silently nodded and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of hands running through his hair. Opening his eyes, his smile softened seeing her gazing down at him lovingly.

"I'm hungry," he announced before yelping as Lindsay pushed him off the couch once again.

XXXX

Reaching Flack's apartment, Rebecca absentmindedly ran her hands through her curls. The wind was picking up outside and although she had managed to keep her feet on the ground, her hair was an entirely different story. Rebecca knocked on the door and waited patiently as she wondered why Flack needed to talk to her. But before she could ponder on the thought any further, the door swung open as Flack stood in the doorway dressed casually in a t-shirt and sweat pants.

"Hey, come in," greeted Flack as he took in her dishevelled look with mild amusement.

"Thanks," replied Rebecca. On the way in, she caught her appearance on the mirror hanging along the hallway, leaving her to groan and bang her head against the opposite wall. "I look like a banshee," she exclaimed.

"Oh, you're alright," replied Flack with a grin, holding in the laughter. "I'd give it another few years until the white hair comes up," he added, earning him a glare.

"Ha-ha very funny," said Rebecca sarcastically. "Mind if I use your bathroom?"

Flack laughed and motioned her to follow him down the hall. "Sure, no problem," he replied.

A few minutes later, Rebecca came back into the living room, catching Flack casually watching TV with his arms draped over the back of the couch. For a moment, she stayed silent, content with just admiring how at peace he looked at home. It was a change from seeing him at work; always on task and focused. Moving to plop down beside him, she took the remote that was resting idly in his hand and began flipping through the channels.

"Hey! I was watching that," Flack protested, attempting to take back the remote.

"An ad for a vacuum cleaner?" asked Rebecca, her eyebrows rose.

"You never know, I might need a vacuum cleaner," Flack retorted.

"Whatever Don," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked, her eyes still on the TV.

Taking hold of the remote, he switched the screen off and placed it back on the table before turning to face her.

"Don, what is it?" Rebecca asked. Taking in the change in his expression, she could swear that it looked as if he'd deflated a little. His shoulders hunched, Rebecca guessed that what ever it was, it had taken a toll on her partner.

Not knowing exactly how to put it, Flack took a breath and plainly told her. "Lisa and I broke up," he said, his eyes searching hers for some kind of reaction.

'They broke up," she thought. Rebecca didn't know what to say; inside she was bursting with hope, and yet she mentally scolded herself for being happy with his obvious grief. Settling for the most commonly used phrased in the English language, she gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, she doesn't know what she's letting go," she said, hoping to raise his mood somehow.

Shaking his head, he took her hands in his marvelling at how perfectly they fit. "I broke it off," he explained.

Rebecca was a little more than confused at what he had said. "Why?" she asked, hoping that the answer was what she wanted to hear.

But before he could answer, there was a knock at the door. Throwing her a sheepish look of apology Flack got off the couch and headed to answer the door. Looking through the peep hole, he frowned. He opened the door slightly, enough to poke his head through.

"What do you want?" he asked; his tone less than friendly.

"Is that any way to greet someone Flacky?" asked Lisa.

"This isn't a good time," said Flack, but she pushed through anyway.

Her sight finally settled on Rebecca sitting on his couch, surfing through channels. Lisa turned back to Flack, who was still standing next to the open door, clearly wanting her to leave.

"And I see why…" Lisa replied, her eyes throwing daggers.

XXXX

Sitting crossed legged on the couch; Lindsay sat lazily, flipping through the channels before she heard Danny calling out from the kitchen.

"Montana, we're out of milk," said Danny. "I'm just gonna run down to the store for a minute," he added, grabbing his wallet and keys that were sitting on the counter.

"No, I'll go," said Lindsay, turning off the TV and jumping off the couch.

Danny whined. "I'm fine Montana; I can go down to the store myself without falling over you know,"

"I know," she replied with a smile. Grabbing his keys and fishing out some cash from his wallet, Lindsay turned back and placed a kiss on his lips. "I just don't want you to flirt with the shop attendant."

"What?" Danny asked, laced with confusion.

"Oh come off it Danny," said Lindsay, leaning against the wall. "You always flirt with her, and she flirts back. I need to have a little chat with her about that."

Danny groaned, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "Linds, come on, you know you're the only one."

Lindsay took a step forward and wrapped her hands around his waist, Leaving Danny to do the same. "I sure hope so," Lindsay replied, brushing her lips against his for a kiss. She groaned as Danny's hands travelled across her back, settling on her hips as he pulled her closer; deepening the kiss.

After a while, she pulled away. "Milk…Danny, milk…" was all Lindsay managed to get out between pants as they both struggled to get their breathing back in order.

"I'll be ten minutes," Danny replied before slipping out the door his keys and the cash he snagged from her hands.

Lindsay growled in annoyance before heading off towards the bathroom for a quick shower.

Twenty minutes later, Danny walked into the apartment carrying a bag of groceries.

"What happened to ten minutes?" asked Lindsay, hands on her hips, leaning against the wall.

Throwing his keys and wallet on the counter, Danny offered her a sheepish smile. "Guess I got a little sidetracked," he replied.

Lindsay scoffed. "I swear if she laid a single hand on your that chat I'm going to have with her is going to turn into something a lot more…painful."

"What?" Danny asked as Lindsay continued to glare at him. A fraction of a second later his face cleared.

"Are you still on about that Montana?" he asked playfully. Leaving the bags on the table, he walked over and pulled her into his arms. "Jealous Monroe?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"You're delusional," Lindsay replied.

"You're jealous of a shop attendant who likes to flirt with me," Danny stated, laughter interlaced with his words. "Admit it,"

"In your dreams," Stepping out of his embrace, she walked over to the bags, peeking in to see what he had bought. "So much for milk," she mumbled.

"Montana," Danny teased, walking over and wrapping his arms around her from behind. Moving her hair out of the way, he placed a kiss on her neck, smiling when he felt her lean back into his embrace. "I love you," he whispered, placing a trail of kisses along her neck.

Turning slightly, Lindsay tilted her head and whispered, "I love you too," before he kissed her on the lips. Pulling away, Lindsay smiled as he pulled her in closer, letting her lean against his hard chest.

"You don't need to be jealous of anyone Montana," Danny whispered, his lips grazing her ears.

"Doesn't mean I'm not going to have that chat," said Lindsay.

"Just don't kill her Montana," Danny replied, still nuzzling her neck.

"Why ever not," Lindsay raised her eyebrows, turning around to face him.

"She gives me discounts," replied Danny, grinning from ear to ear before taking Lindsay's lips with his once again.

XXXX

Hearing Lisa's voice, Rebecca got up and headed over to where they both stood. With a smile, she greeted Lisa, purposely ignoring the obvious looks of irritation and anger evident on both their faces. "Hi Lisa, what's going on?" Rebecca asked.

Lisa ignored her and instead turned to Flack. "So I guess I was right then," she said, motioning to Rebecca.

"Leave her out of this," replied Flack with barely restrained anger.

Rebecca was confused, had she done something wrong? "What did I-"

Hardly listening, Lisa cut in. "So you're settling on some orphaned slut instead of me Flack? That's rich," said Lisa with a laugh.

Flack was more than shocked at what Lisa had said. Glancing at Rebecca, he noticed her hands clench.

"So she didn't tell you that she's an orphan?" Lisa turned to Rebecca, taking her anger out on the woman before her instead. "What, you weren't good enough for your parents or something? You drive them crazy with the amount of sleeping around you do? Huh?" she taunted, her smile widening with every tremble Rebecca let escape.

Looking around desperately for something, anything to keep herself together, Rebecca's eyes met Flacks, but the shock she saw in his eyes provided neither comfort nor strength. Lisa was treading on familiar territory, even though she didn't know it. The only other was Adam, and he would never break his promise. Willing herself to not let the tears fall, Rebecca turned away, picked up her things and with one last glance of pain and sorrow, Rebecca ran out.

Lisa gave a disgusted laugh and turned back to Flack. "You're pathetic, you both are," said Lisa.

"Get out."

"What?" asked Lisa, her eyes widening.

"I said get out," Flack repeated with force. "You had no right to do what you just did," Flack paused to take a breath, closing his eyes in an attempt to keep his composure. "I never, ever want to see your face ever again," he continued, his voice rising with every word, before opening his eyes once again.

Lisa was dumbstruck by the fury she could see in his eyes, taking a slight step back, she closed her eyes and grinned. "Fine," she replied and without another word, she was gone.

Lisa had left, leaving Flack alone in his apartment staring blankly at the door, his mind trying desperately to grasp what had happened. Mere moments ago he was sitting with his partner watching TV, and now…everything had gone wrong.

Making a quick decision, Flack ran into his bedroom to change. Grabbing his wallet, badge and keys from the counter he ran out the door. Hoping and praying that Rebecca was okay.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Is there anyone who likes Lisa at all? I give permission and reason to hate her even more now, but it's just a thought. _**

**_What happens next you ask? Well that all depends on my muse who seems to be on drugs and therefore is highly unpredictable. Sincerest apologies,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	15. A Walk In The Park

**_A/N:Thanks again to everyone who've read and reviewed. Your support is treasured greatly._**

**_I was supposed to post this last night, but my internet died, so kindly shift your blame towards my service provider whose service is not being provided. Thank you._**

**_This is definately the longest chapter yet, so I hope you enjoy it!_**

* * *

Running his hand through his hair, Adam let out a sigh as his lap pillowed the sleeping Rebecca. He was lazily reading a magazine in front of the TV when she had burst into the apartment, crying. Within the ten minutes she had been home, Rebecca had managed to fill him in on what had happened in between the sobs. In honest truth, he hoped that Flack had strangled Lisa. He had hardly spoken to Lisa, save that strange encounter at the café, and he knew that Rebecca had spent even less time in her company. From what Rebecca had told him, he had pretty much figured out why, if only Lisa knew the impact of her words on his friend. 

As his sight rested on the apartment door, Adam let out another sigh as he carefully slipped off the couch and placed a cushion under Rebecca's head before moving to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass from one of the cupboards, he filled it with water and brought it to his mouth. Flack had come; wanting to comfort Rebecca no doubt, but never got the chance.

_Adam sighed as he held her. Her body racked with sobs as she clutched his shirt with her fists, her face buried in his shoulder. He couldn't believe what she had told him, and yet here he was helplessly holding her, wishing beyond anything that he could take away her pain. A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie. He ignored it, knowing that Rebecca was more important than anything at the moment. Pulling her closer, he hugged her tight, offering his presence as support for his friend. It was when he heard Flack's voice from the other side that he pulled away to look into her eyes for the first time that night._

"_Do you…" he trailed off as Rebecca's eyes widened and shook her head furiously._

"_Alright then," Adam replied softly. Getting up, he opened the apartment door slightly and slipped out._

_Seeing Adam, Flack's heart quickened, as he held back the questions that so needed to be answered as well as the apologies that needed to be heard._

_Closing the door shut behind him, Adam turned his head, looking down at the wall railings, waiting for Flack to say his piece._

"_I need to talk to her," pleaded Flack. His heart fell as Adam shook his head._

"_She doesn't want to talk to you," Adam replied. Looking up for the first time, he felt guilty as he saw a look of pain and anguish pass through Flack's eyes._

"_I mean, she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now," he quickly corrected._

_Flack let out a breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I need to talk to her," he whispered again. "What Lisa said –"_

"_I know," Adam replied, his voice empty. He felt nothing towards Lisa at that point, he was beyond anger, and there were no words to describe how he felt. What she had called Rebecca was unforgivable in his ears, but she needed him now more than ever and he wasn't going anywhere, for now._

"_She'll come around," Adam said softly._

"_But –" _

"_Not now Don, she can't do it now," replied Adam, without another word he slipped back into the apartment leaving Flack alone in the hallway._

Slipping back to the present, Adam glanced back to the woman who was now sleeping peacefully on his couch. Well their couch; she paid half the rent and co-owned the furnished apartment. Come morning, she was going to need aspirin. Leaving a bottle on the table, he retreated to his own room to collect his thoughts and hopefully catch some sleep.

XXXX

Finishing the front page of the newspaper, Lindsay put it down and continued to eat her waffles as she glanced at her boyfriend before her reading through the sports pages, coffee in hand. The scene struck her to be completely domestic, and Lindsay could safely say that he was the first one, probably the only one who she could see herself with like this.

Feeling her eyes on him, Danny took another sip before putting his mug down. "What?" he asked.

Lindsay smiled and shook her head, "Just thinking."

"Oh yeah, about what?" asked Danny, taking a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and dumping it on top of his waffles.

"You," Lindsay replied. Seeing him raise his eyebrows, she continued to explain, "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you."

Danny smiled and put his fork down. Taking one of her hands in his, he placed a gentle kiss on her open palm. "Montana, you are more than the woman of my dreams, in fact you pretty much put her to shame," Danny replied, grinning at the blush that was forming on Lindsay's cheeks.

There was no lie in his words; she was more than he could ever have hoped for.

XXXX

Lazily flipping the eggs, Adam yawned again. Luckily he had the day off and had called Rebecca in sick for the day. Taking another swig of his coffee, Adam shook his head as the caffeine flowed into his body, slowly but surely waking him up. He grinned as Rebecca shuffled into the kitchen.

"Mornin' sleepyhead," he greeted as he handed over a mug of steaming caffeine.

Rebecca groaned appreciatively as she took a sip, letting her head fall back. "My head feels like it's been run over and then used as a baseball bat," said Rebecca, her other hand massaging her forehead.

"I left the aspirin on the table," Adam offered.

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah I took them just now. You're a life saver."

Adam grinned. If Rebecca didn't mope then he knew she was fine. Ever since little, Adam knew she was never the type to let a knight in shining armour on horseback save her. She kicked him off and ran off with the horse. She fought her own battles, but she was never afraid to lean on someone else for strength and support. In his eyes, she was going to be fine.

"So you ready for tonight?" Adam asked. He knew that Stella's big plans seemed microscopic compared to her current problems, but he wanted to make conversation.

Rebecca shrugged, "You're making the assumption that I'm going."

"Of course you're going, unless of course she didn't send that particularly colourful email to you, in which case I'll gladly share," Adam replied.

"She's really going all out with this isn't she?" Rebecca asked with a grin.

Adam smiled. "It's been a while since we've all been out together," he explained. "What with Danny…"

"And you," Rebecca cut in. "You were there with him unless you've forgotten."

He hadn't. Glancing down at his palm, he could still envision the cigarette burns. "I wasn't hurt as much as Danny was, he pretty much saved us all," he replied.

Flipping the eggs into the air, Adam threw a sheepish look at Rebecca over his shoulder as one landed flat on the microwave.

"Smooth move," Rebecca said before breaking into a fit of laughter. Calming down a little, she picked the egg off the microwave and threw it onto a plate. "That one's yours," she supplied.

"Very funny," said Adam, hands on hips.

Waving it off, Rebecca sat down as Adam placed the rest of their breakfast on the counter. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

Stuffing his eggs into his mouth, Adam took a while to reply. "Well, we're going to 'Tavern on the Green' for dinner and Sullivan's for a few drinks after," he explained.

Rebecca nodded. She needed to go find something to wear...

XXXX

Later that evening, everyone sat as they chatted and ate, subjects bouncing back and forth between Mac and Peyton's trip to England, Danny's recovery, Rebecca's arrival and more.

Seeing Flack blush as Hawkes teased him about his partner, Lindsay leaned over to Danny who was sitting beside her. "Did I tell you how hot you look?" she whispered into his ear. He was wearing a dark maroon shirt with black slacks; they had all come semi-formal as requested by the hostess, who was now chatting excitedly with Peyton at the other end of the table.

Danny grinned and leaned to whisper in Lindsay's ear, admiring the little red number she was wearing, "Well you don't know how much I want to take you outta that dress Montana."

From the other side of the table Rebecca saw Danny lean over to whisper something into Lindsay's ear. She grinned as Lindsay blushed before nodding as they both got up and headed towards the dance floor hand in hand.

"You look great," commented Danny as he placed his arms on Lindsay's waist.

"You're not looking so bad yourself cowboy," Lindsay replied as she placed her head against his chest.

They spent the next few minutes simply holding each other, content with being in each other's arms, swaying slowly to the music.

"Do you want to tell them?" Danny asked. "About us moving in together," Danny continued.

Smiling against his shirt, Lindsay nodded. "I want to," she replied.

"What's going on with Flack and Rebecca?" asked Danny, glancing over at their table. "They've been ignoring each other the entire night; well Rebecca has anyway."

"I don't know," Lindsay replied, lulled by Danny's heartbeat.

Looking down, Danny grinned at the sight of his girlfriend leaning against him with a smile on her face. "Hey, you still with me Montana?" he asked.

Pulling away slightly, Lindsay looked up into his eyes and smiled. "I love you Danny," she whispered before brushing her lips against his.

"I love you too Montana," Danny replied before deepening the kiss.

XXXX

Rebecca smiled as she breathed in the night air. She had left the restaurant for a little while for a walk through central park and she was glad she did. Being in such close proximity to Flack brought the memories back and although she wasn't one to continue living in the past, there was only so much she could take.

Stopping for a moment, Rebecca glanced up at the sky, watching the stars and admiring the vast expanse of the night sky. She closed her eyes, letting the chilly air envelop her. It was then she felt someone hold something against her lower back.

"Don't move," the man whispered. "Turn your head and you'll regret it."

Rebecca nodded and slowly held her hands up. She had just caught sight of the maroon shirt before she exploded into laughter. "Danny!" she cried as he tickled her, pulling her into a hug and laughing.

"You're such an ass Messer," said Rebecca crossly, the tears in her eyes and the smile on her face betraying her true feelings.

"You shouldn't go wandering off alone," Danny countered.

Rebecca chuckled. "Fine, fine, care to take a walk with me?" she asked.

"Don't mind if I do," replied Danny with a grin.

A little while later, they both sat down at a bench still talking. Rebecca had told him what had happened with Lisa and Flack, and she felt comforted by his understanding. Even though she hadn't known Danny for that long, she sensed something in him, the ability to trust him came easily, and she didn't know how but it seemed as if he could understand her pain; the pain she had never shared with anyone before aside from Adam. Soon after, Rebecca found herself telling Danny about her parents; her secret, her true burden in life. She was half expecting him to show pity, or to run, but to her surprise he did neither. He merely grinned.

"It's not funny you know," said Rebecca, half annoyed that he was finding her deep dark secrets so amusing.

"Kinda is you know," Danny replied, shrugging nonchalantly as he dragged them both up and started walking. Checking his phone messages, Danny grinned before replacing his phone back into his pocket.

"How exactly is that so funny Messer?" asked Rebecca.

As they rounded the bend heading towards the playground, Danny stopped. Turning to face her, he placed his arms on her shoulder. "Take a good look around you and then decide what to believe and what to forget," Danny said before motioning her to follow.

As they both rounded the bend, the playground came into view. Flack sat on one of the swings as Lindsay leaned against the frame. As she turned towards them, she smiled brightly and whispered something to Flack before walking off just as Danny had done.

Flack looked up to see Rebecca walking towards him, her cheeks red. Turning to look behind, he barely managed to catch Danny and Lindsay disappear off wrapped in each others arms.

Reaching the swings, Rebecca gave her partner a tentative smile before a slight breeze sent shivers through her.

"Here," said Flack. Getting up, he took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. "Can I offer you a swing?" he asked, bowing dramatically before urging her to sit down.

"Thanks," Rebecca replied as she slowly swung.

"I'm sorry," said Flack. "About Lisa I mean," he added seeing Rebecca's confusion.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she whispered.

"I shouldn't have let her say those things, I should've –"

"It's not your fault Don," Rebecca replied. "It was mine."

"What Lisa said, it wasn't true right?" he asked, but in truth he didn't care. He cared about her, not her past. Only her.

Rebecca let out another sigh, "Partly yes, partly no."

At Flack's look, she paused for a moment to gather her courage before continuing on. "My parents were never rich; in fact they were pretty poor. Then they had me and everything went to hell. I was a mistake," Rebecca choked out.

"I have to do this," Rebecca cut in as Flack was about to speak.

Nodding silently, he let her continue.

"My parents said that I was a mistake, that their lives were ruined by me. They told me that I would never be loved, I was nothing more than a nuisance – to everyone," explained Rebecca, her voice wavering. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, willing the tears not to fall. She never noticed Flack move until she felt his hands on her shoulder, clutching them gently.

"I mean no disrespect, but I think your parents were wrong," said Flack as he held her.

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked, her eyes still watering.

"Look around you, you've got friends here Pierce, you've got me."

Rebecca looked down again, and experimentally she closed her eyes and leaned back, her head against Flack's firm stomach. He was right, Danny was right. She did have people that cared for her, and she still had family. Adam was her family and would always be a brother to her.

That was it. She had enough.

Taking a deep breath, Rebecca stood up and turned to face Flack. She stood straight, letting her own confidence seep back in. "Thank you," she whispered before Flack moved forward and pulled her into a hug.

"Anytime,"

A little later, they both started walking back towards the restaurant, knowing that Stella would sooner or later send out a search party after them.

"I guess now you know why I ran," said Rebecca, blushing slightly.

Flack nodded. "She hit too close to home," he supplied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder at her nod. "We've all been there. You're still Rebecca Pierce to me," Flack replied.

Rebecca couldn't help but chuckle, "I knew I liked you for a reason."

"Well I like you too," Flack replied softly.

"Don –" she started but was cut off by Flack.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have –"

"Don, I like you, I do," Rebecca replied with a smile, settling his nerves slightly. "I just need a little time."

"You're doing the exact same thing Linds did to Danny you know that?" said Flack.

"And look how they ended up," she pointed out.

Flack shrugged, "But there was misery and an expensive flight involved," he countered. "I don't think my paycheque covers it all, I lead a much more extravagant lifestyle than Danny does"

"You do?" asked Rebecca.

"Well…no,"

Rebecca laughed at the pout her partner was putting up on display. "I said time, not space," she said. "I expect to be treated to fine cuisine, expensive accessories and designer clothes, all for you to convince me."

"You serious?" asked Flack. "You'll let me take you out some time?"

Rebecca nodded with a laugh.

"Right then, pizza, Yankees jersey and a hat; fine cuisine, designer clothes and expensive accessories, I can handle that," said Flack counting each one off with a finger.

"Provided you sweet talk Adam into letting you take me out first 'Donnie'," said Rebecca, purposely using the charming name Lisa had left him with.

Flack groaned. "How come Danny doesn't get this but I do," he grumbled.

"And we're not even together yet,"

"Yet?" asked Flack, stopping and raising his eyebrows.

"You still have yet to convince me," Rebecca replied before strolling ahead of him.

Flack growled. "PIERCE!"

XXXXXX

Stella looked up to see Rebecca and Flack walk back in. "There you are!"

"Sorry Stel, we got sidetracked," Rebecca replied sharing a glance with Flack.

"Mmhmm, and where's our other couple?" she asked amusedly.

"They're not back yet?" asked Flack, looking around.

"I think that's them," Peyton called out, pointing towards a clearly soaked couple walking towards them.

"Hey guys," Danny greeted, completely ignoring the looks his team mates were giving him.

Lindsay chuckled.

"What happened to you two?" Hawkes asked.

"Went for a swim," Danny supplied, his arms snaking across Lindsay's waist, pulling her closer.

At Stella's look, Danny sighed. "Alright, we fell into the pond," he admitted ruefully, earning him a peck on cheek from Lindsay.

"Good boy," said Lindsay patting his cheek.

"What exactly were you two doing?" asked Mac, his eyebrows meeting his hairline.

"Oh…nothing," Lindsay replied hastily. "We're gonna head home and get changed and meet you guys at Sullivan's later."

"We still need to move your clothes over Montana," said Danny.

"What?" asked Stella, her eyes widening.

"We're moving in together," said Lindsay, smiling as Danny's arms pulled her in closer.

"Congrats man," said Flack, moving to give Danny a hug but stopped half way. "Err, rain check on the hug?"

Danny laughed as he pulled Lindsay out of the restaurant to head home. It had been a trying day, but by all means it wasn't over yet.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	16. Too Good To Be True

**_A/N: Sorry about the absence, another holiday for my muse, but Brandy's back and on crack (yeah that rhymes too!)_**

**_Thank you to everyone who've read and reviewed, special thanks to my P.I.C crashdownmontana for inspiring the next few chapters, I hope you all enjoy the ride._**

* * *

It had been nearly a month since Lindsay had moved in with him and to Danny, life couldn't be anymore perfect. A small part of him continued to question if everything was too good to be true. He had a perfect life; a good job and a loving partner. What more could he ever ask for? A family, but that was still down the road, he wasn't ready yet, and Danny didn't think Lindsay was either. But they'd get there – eventually. 

The day after the dinner, Danny had talked to Lindsay about coming back and thankfully, she understood. He still had his left hand in a cast, but Mac had allowed him to come back for lab work. It wasn't the same as having his own case to work on, but it beat sitting at home hours on end waiting for Lindsay to come home. He'd cleaned and rearranged his apartment, but after the first or second week, there wasn't really that much he could do.

Today was Danny's day off, but he came in anyway, mostly to surprise Lindsay and to spend a little time with her. She'd been working on a hard case, a couple had been brutally raped and murdered, and whose bodies had been dumped at separate scenes throughout the city. Their first clue that the crimes were connected was the name carved into the forehead of both victims; the name of the other partner.

Slipping into the lab, Danny eyed Lindsay as she worked intently to process the victims' clothes. He silently walked over before moving to tickle her but stopped as her ominous voice rang out throughout the room.

"Don't even think about it Messer,"

"How'd you know I was here?" asked Danny with a grin. Stepping forward, he slipped his arms around her, pressing her back against him.

"Glass…." Lindsay gasped as she leaned her head slightly to give Danny better access to her neck. "Reflection," she finished, her eyes still closed, her smile growing.

"I see," said Danny pulling away. He chuckled as Lindsay groaned at the sudden loss of contact.

"I'll get you back for that Messer," said Lindsay. Leaning against the table, she crossed her arms as her eyes narrowed.

Danny laughed, waving his hands in his antics, "Promises, promises."

"You bet your ass I promise," Lindsay replied. "Now go away I'm working."

"Yes dear," Danny replied with a salute. "Meet you at the restaurant tonight?"

With her back to him, Lindsay merely nodded as she got back to work. Danny grinned as he walked out, whistling to himself.

"Someone's happy," Stella called out as he passed her.

With a laugh, Danny turned the corner. "It's a good morning Stel," he called out.

XXXXXX

"Hey Pierce," Flack called out, catching Rebecca before she walked out of the precinct.

Rebecca stopped and turned back, waiting for him to catch up. "What do you want Flack?"

"Whoa, bad time?" asked Flack, holding up his hands defensively.

Rebecca laughed and shook her head. "No, you called out rudely, so I reply rudely. Rule of the universe, give what you get," she replied.

Flack laughed at her remark. "I was just wondering, if you're not too busy tonight; do you wanna go out? Shoot some pool or something?" Flack asked, running his hands through his hair.

"Why, are you me out on a date detective?" Rebecca asked teasingly.

"Rebecca…." Flack pleaded with a sigh, to her, it sounded more like a whine.

"Oh stop whining Don, I was just kidding," said Rebecca. "I'd love to."

Flack's eyes lit up at her agreement. "Great, I'll call you later?"

"Sure," Rebecca replied before walking off.

XXXXXX

For a day that started out so well, Danny couldn't help but wonder how it could end so badly. Sitting at the restaurant alone, he had waited for Lindsay for over an hour before leaving. His first thought was that she got hung up at the lab, calling her for the hundredth time that night, Danny sighed as it went straight to her voicemail once again.

"Hey, it's me again. Call me when you get this message kay?" Danny hung up after leaving the message. He called Stella next, hoping that she knew where Lindsay was.

"Bonasera," answered Stella.

"Hey, it's Danny," he greeted. "Do you know where Lindsay is?"

Stella paused for a moment before answering. "No, she left hours ago, mentioned something about a dinner. I thought she was with you," replied Stella.

"It's alright then…." He trailed off. Reaching his apartment block, he saw Lindsay on the other side of the street. "I gotta go Stel, thanks," he said before hanging up. Danny's heart dropped. She was with someone else.

Slipping through into the lobby, Danny stayed out of sight, but keeping his own on the pair across the street. His blood boiled as the man put his arms around her, and he saw her lean into the embrace. A million questions flew through his mind; who was he, how could she? His thoughts came to an abrupt end as he saw the man bend down, with the clear intention of kissing her. Danny closed his eyes and turned away, not willing to see it.

He ran up to their apartment, his apartment, their apartment. If there was still even a 'them' to begin with. Danny went through a whirl of emotions as he tried to sort out his thoughts. He firmly wanted to believe that it wasn't her, but he'd seen her with his own eyes, the scene playing back in his mind again and again, torturing him with every sight.

He needed to relax, and think. Lindsay loved him, he knew that. She told him everyday as he replied it back to her, and it was the truth. He loved her more than anything.

Jealousy, anger, betrayal; he needed to think, but he couldn't. Glancing at the clock, he had barely left them 5 minutes ago and Lindsay still wasn't back yet. Moving to the window, he took a chance and glanced out onto the street below. To his relief, he didn't see anyone.

XXXXXX

"I kicked your ass again Don," Rebecca exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah; enough of the ego bruising okay?" said Flack. "You ready to go?" he asked as he helped her with her coat.

"Yeah, let's go."

Flack smiled as he walked Rebecca home. It had been a nice night; they'd simply gone out for a game of pool at the bar and had a few drinks and laughs together. Silently, Flack marvelled as how comfortable he was with her, even though he was a nervous wreck before picking her up. Reaching her block, he fought off her complaints as he walked her up to her door.

"You're actually being a gentleman, I'm impressed," said Rebecca with a smile.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," replied Flack with a wink.

Upon reaching her door, Rebecca turned to Flack with a smile. "Thanks for tonight Don, I had a great time."

"Me too," replied Flack before giving her a hug. Hesitantly, Flack bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Gnite Rebecca," he whispered before walking off.

Entering her apartment, Rebecca grinned as she saw the single white lily standing on her counter in a vase of water.

He definitely knew how to impress her. He was also lucky that Adam wasn't home.

XXXXXX

Silently, Danny sat on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees and his head buried in his hands. With every thought that passed through his head, his heart broke. It was her, she was the only one. The only one who could save him, and break him. He was broken.

Danny was so consumed by his thoughts that he never heard the phone ring. By the time he realised, it had gone on to the answering machine. He was about to pick up when he realised that he didn't recognise the voice. Silently, Danny listened to the message, what was left of his heart shattering into a million pieces.

Danny just stood there, his hands fists clenched, trying to make sense of it all. The phone rang again, but he didn't answer. He couldn't move. As he turned slightly, his eyes narrowed down onto the answering machine when Lindsay's voice came through.

"Hey Danny, it's Linds. I got called in again so I don't think I'll be home tonight; just calling so you don't worry too much. I love you."

'I love you' – that's what she had said, and for the first time in his life, Danny questioned if she'd meant it at all, any of it.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Before you all start pelting me with sharp and heavy objects, just wait and see what happens next._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe._**


	17. Or Is It?

**_A/N: Thanks to everyone who've read and reviewed._**

****

* * *

There was little he could do now. Glancing at the clock, it read 5am. He needed to get some rest, but coupled with his thoughts of anger and betrayal, sleep had refused to let him succumb to it in peace. Perhaps it was some sort of punishment that he was destined to stand here, next to the window clad in a t-shirt and drawstring pants.

Punishment; hadn't he had enough of it already? He couldn't deny the mistakes he had made in the past, but with each and every incident, someone had been taken away. His brother was still in a coma after his ordeal with Tanglewood, Aiden was fired and then murdered, and now it was Lindsay. Perhaps he was meant to live a life of solitude, destined to walk alone, suffering from all the pain he'd caused unto others.

But what had he done? Since the very first day he'd held her in his arms, Danny had never even looked once at other women the way he used to. Sure, he still flirted once in a while, but it was harmless flirting and she knew it. What had he done? Did he do something wrong? Danny clenched his eyes shut as a sharp pain ran through behind them. He held back the tears that threatened to spill, anger starting to seep in, replacing the self-degradation he had put himself through.

He had done nothing wrong, she had hurt him.

He had put everything on the line when he gave his heart to her. It was a first for him; having another mean so much. Given his track record with women, he knew that Lindsay would be more than sceptical when he told her that he wanted to commit to her, for as long as he could, vowing to never hurt her in any way. He couldn't screw it up, it meant too much to him. But not once did he ever envision her betrayal. He had given her everything…

The pain was his undoing as tears spilled over, seeping through his fingers like a broken dam. A small part of him argued to let her explain, and even though he knew he shouldn't jump to any conclusions, the images in his mind clouded any logical reasoning he could muster, leaving him hollow, his mind taunting and torturing him with every move his lover made with another man. His heart lurched in disgust.

He had more than enough reason to let it go; he should give her a chance to explain. It was probably a misunderstanding, but that still didn't explain the message the man had left. It was her; there was no doubting that now. His eyes still red from exhaustion and the tears; Danny stood up and walked into the kitchen passing the phone on the way. His sight rested on the slip of paper that lay next to the phone; their dinner reservation. Last night was supposed to be theirs; Danny just never knew that he'd end up alone by the end of it.

Entering the kitchen, he took a glass of water and drank it down heartily, wishing his sorrows would just drown away with every gulp he took. But whatever punishment he was meant to endure, it was going to last longer than he wanted. Silently Danny wondered exactly how much more he could take, and if he'd be left with anything at all by the end. Filling another glass, he started walking back to the bedroom but stopped at the sound of the door unlocking and opening.

Lindsay walked in, a tired smile on her face which grew as she saw him. "Hey," she greeted. "What are you doing up?" she Lindsay asked, moving forward to place a kiss on his lips.

He didn't kiss her back.

It didn't go unnoticed by Lindsay as she took a step back. "Danny, what's wrong?"

His eyes flashed red for a moment before his exhaustion seeped back in. "Nothing, I'm just tired," he replied calmly before walking back into the room.

"Danny –" He stopped at the door and turned back to her for a moment.

"There's a message for you on the answering machine," came Danny's reply before going back into the room.

There was something bothering him, Lindsay was sure of that. Walking to the answering machine, Lindsay picked up the piece of paper, her eyes widening at the information. "Oh Danny…" she whispered. She had completely forgotten about their dinner, having her mind completely focused on the case. Lindsay was surprised when she received a call from her friend Montana, asking her out to dinner since he was in town. In all her excitement, she had forgotten to call Danny.

As she played back the message on the machine, she realised what had Danny so upset.

"Lindsay baby it's me again; I had a great time tonight. Can't wait to see you again, call me, love you."

Lindsay closed her eyes as she let out a sigh. "Stan…" she whispered.

"Is that his name?"

Lindsay jumped as she turned to see Danny at the doorway once again before he turned back in. "Danny," Lindsay called out, running after him.

"Danny I can explain," pleaded Lindsay.

"Don't," Danny snapped.

"Please Danny, I can e –" said Lindsay, a sense of panic running through her. She knew what he was thinking, and never before had she been so afraid of losing him. Before she could get the rest of her sentence out, she stopped as Danny turned to her, pain and anguish in his eyes.

"Are you cheating on me?" he asked softly.

Her heart broke at the question. She shook her head vigorously, "No Danny, how could I, I love you!" her voice exasperated.

"Do you?" he asked gently, holding back any anger he had.

"Of course I do, Danny –"

"DON'T LIE TO ME," Danny yelled. Closing his eyes, he took a breath to calm down. "I saw you with him across the road."

Lindsay closed her eyes, holding the tears back. Never before did she realise that a simply misunderstanding could go so wrong. "Danny, I didn't, we –"

"I loved you," whispered Danny, turning to face her as he bit back his own tears. "I gave you everything, how could you?"

In that moment, Lindsay found out how much she had truly meant to him. Quietly, she walked over to him and took his hands in hers, with him perched on the side of the bed; she kneeled in front of him, looking into his eyes.

"I love you Danny, so much that it scares me." Taking one of his hands, she placed a kiss on his palm. "How could I betray the perfect man?"

"Don't lie to me Lindsay. I waited for you, for hours, and I come home and you're with another man. How –" Lindsay had cut him off as she crashed her lips to his, pushing him down onto the mattress.

He couldn't help it, her lips were so soft against his and before he realised it, he was kissing her back, his hands tightening to pull her closer against him. Danny groaned as Lindsay pulled away, both of them breathing hard.

"Do you believe me now?" whispered Lindsay, her body still lying comfortable on top of his.

"Linds… please don't lie to me," Danny pleaded.

"I'm not lying to you Danny," she whispered back as he pulled her down for another kiss.

With his eyes still closed, Danny pulled away, opening them to see his love staring down at him. He couldn't help the involuntary smile that spread across his face.

"I'm sorry Danny," Lindsay apologised, her head resting comfortably against his chest. "I should have called you."

"I tried a million times," said Danny.

With a confused look, Lindsay moved to pull out her phone from her pocket. "It's dead," she acknowledged with a small laugh.

"Linds, I need…" Danny trailed off as Lindsay placed a finger on his lips.

"His name is Stan, you've met him before, in Montana remember?"

Danny racked his brains for a moment, remembering nothing. "No…"

Lindsay smiled. "You were pretty exhausted, I don't blame you. He's the one who gave you the pick-up, Stan's a family friend."

At Danny's look, she continued. "Stan came down to New York for a car expo, he called me up for dinner," Lindsay explained. "I guess I was a bit too excited to hear from him."

A while later Lindsay had explained everything to Danny, leaving him feeling like the world's biggest idiot.

"Montana," Lindsay smiled at the name, knowing that he wasn't angry at her anymore. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have – "

"Jumped to conclusions? No you shouldn't have," said Lindsay. "But you had every right to," she continued, cupping his face gently.

"I thought he was going to kiss you..."

"He did," Danny's eyes darkened as Lindsay laughed. "On the cheek," she added, leaving Danny to groan.

"I'm such an idiot," stated Danny, leaving Lindsay to grin.

"Yeah you are, but you're my idiot," replied Lindsay as she pulled him in for another kiss.

"Do you trust me Danny?" asked Lindsay, her fingers playing with the dog tags resting on his chest.

"I…" he hesitated.

"Do you trust me Danny?" she repeated, her fingers moving to trace his jaw.

"Montana…"

"Do you trust me Danny?" she repeated one last time, her eyes latched on to his as they let each other's gaze bore into their souls. There, Danny saw what he craved so much to have; her love.

With a whisper, Danny replied, "I trust you."

"Do you trust me?" Danny asked hesitantly.

"With my life," Lindsay whispered back, with nothing but sincerity in every word.

With a smile, he pulled her closer, tightening his embrace. "I love you Lindsay," he whispered into her hair.

"I love you too Danny," Lindsay replied.

After a moment together, Lindsay stood and pulled Danny up with her.

"What was that for?" Danny groaned. "I'm tired."

"Yes well I'm hungry, and you're going to cook. Go," she pushed him out of the bedroom.

"Montana…" he trailed off at the glare she sent his way. With a sigh, he turned back to the kitchen, "Yes dear,"

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at his antics. Today the love of her life though she was cheating on him, infidelity. But they had gotten through it together, somehow she wondered what life still had in store for them, but they had gotten this far and she wasn't giving up anytime soon.

Whatever it may be, bring it on. He was hers, and she his. There was no one else in the equation.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_See? I told you it was worth waiting for. D/L is love and I love them - simple as that._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	18. In His Embrace

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who've read and reviewed this fic._**

****

* * *

With the sun's golden rays shining against his eyes, Danny woke up to a tingling sensation on his chest. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open and a lazy smile appeared on his tired face. He bit back a laugh as Lindsay continued to nuzzle his bare chest, her fingers drawing invisible tattoos on his skin.

Almost instantly, Lindsay could feel his eyes on her. Lifting her head slightly, she turned to lie completely on top of him, her eyes meeting his.

"Hey cowboy," she greeted with a smile.

"Mornin'," Danny replied with a yawn. "How'd you know I was awake?"

Lindsay smiled as she laid her head back down, comforted by the rise and fall of his chest. "I always do," she replied as a matter-of-factly.

He couldn't argue with that. Silently, he let his eyes travel across her body as though feeling each and every contour beneath his fingertips. A content sigh escaped him as his thoughts wandered back to the previous night, where in the end they bared their souls for the other to see. He loved her – more than anyone could possibly imagine, but it still didn't stop his own insecurities from making it difficult.

Knowing exactly what he was thinking, Lindsay began to nuzzle his chest with her cheek once again, distracting his thoughts immediately.

"What time do you have to go in?" she asked, knowing happily that she had a day off.

"Eleven," replied Danny. Lifting his head to glance at the wall clock, Danny groaned at the time, "It's a quarter to ten."

With a chuckle, Lindsay languidly slid off his body and looked around for her clothes. Seeing Danny's discarded t-shirt on the floor, she grabbed it and slipped it on.

"Come on cowboy, get up," said Lindsay, laughing as Danny buried his head under a pillow.

With a groan, he let Lindsay drag him to his feet, grabbing her instantly as she turned and pulling her into a deep kiss.

"I love you," he whispered as they pulled away, gasping for breath.

"Love you too cowboy," Lindsay replied. "I'll start breakfast while you shower."

Nodding, Danny tossed a grin over his shoulder as he headed into the bathroom, yelping as Lindsay slapped him on the ass.

"Funny Montana," he called out from the bathroom.

"Glad you think so!" Lindsay replied loudly, eliciting a chuckle from the bathroom.

A no more than 15 minutes later, Danny came into the kitchen and sat down at the counter, dressed in a dark navy blue shirt and dark slacks. He smiled as Lindsay came over and set a plate of food in front of him. Without a word, he began to eat as he realised exactly how hungry he was.

"Hungry Messer?" asked Lindsay with a smirk as he cleared his plate.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Danny shrugged. "Dunno why," he replied.

Realising that she wasn't eating anything, he asked her, "How come you're not eatin' anything?"

Replying with her own shrug, Lindsay moved around the counter to sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. With a grin, she placed a soft kiss on his lips, licking her lips at the taste of her scrambled eggs. "Just not hungry," she whispered before leaning in for another kiss.

"You smell good," she said.

Danny groaned as he lifted her off him. "I gotta go Montana," he said before pulling her in for another kiss. "I'll see you when I get back."

Lindsay smiled as he ran back into the bedroom to get his badge, wallet and cell. Heading towards the door, Danny smiled gratefully as Lindsay handed him his coat and keys.

"Thanks," he said, putting his coat on.

"Take care, and don't have too much fun," said Lindsay with sly grin.

"Yes dear," Danny replied.

Lindsay chuckled. "Haha, very funny Messer, now get out."

"Well so much for that…" Danny trailed off as Lindsay pulled him in for another kiss.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," and with that he was gone.

It took everything she had to stop herself from skipping to the couch, plopping down with a dopey grin still plastered on her face. With a chuckle, Lindsay tucked her legs in and leaned over to grab the TV remote. Hopefully, the day wouldn't take too long to pass.

XXXXXX

"Well someone looks happy," Rebecca teased, taking in the prominent grin on her partner's face.

With a shrug Flack continued to grin at her as he threw his empty coffee cup into the trash. "Can't help it," he replied.

Rebecca laughed. "Why, something happen?"

Flack shook his head, "Nope, got a hot date tonight."

"What? With who?" Rebecca asked; her eyes growing wide and her lips curving into a slight frown.

"With you," he replied. "Pick you up at seven," said Flack as he walked off.

Standing still for a moment, Rebecca tried to process as to what exactly just happened. As it finally clicked, she turned towards the direction he had walked off and stomped off after him.

"FLACK! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" she yelled, a chuckle returning from the other side of the hallway.

XXXXXX

Having just stepped out of the shower, Lindsay was walking around in her bathrobe before the phone began to ring. Towel in hand trying to dry her hair, Lindsay picked up the phone and smiled as she heard the voice from the other side.

"Hey Montana," greeted Danny.

Even through the phone, Lindsay could see the growing smirk on his face. Grinning herself, Lindsay pinned the phone between her neck and shoulder as she continued to dry her hair.

"Hey cowboy," Lindsay replied before asking, "Anything interesting?"

Danny chuckled slightly and then sighed. "If you count paperwork interesting, then yeah I'm having a ball of a time Montana," he replied tiredly.

Lindsay laughed even though she could understand his pain, and boredom. As much as she loved her job, like everything else, there was definitely a downside. Said downside is the existence of paperwork; mountains and mountains of it. Even the thought of filling them all out caused her own sigh to escape.

"Have you eaten anything?" Lindsay asked, hoping to change the topic. Food seemed like a good idea.

"Nah; not yet, that's why I called; to see if you have. You didn't eat anything this morning, you feeling alright?" Danny asked.

"I'm fine Danny, and I did eat this morning," replied Lindsay,

"What?"

"You made me breakfast, at 6 in the morning," said Lindsay, "Or did you forget?"

Danny groaned as he ran a hand over his face, "Don't remind me."

"Danny…"

"I'm fine, really I am," he replied reassuringly.

Before Lindsay could reply, there was a knock on the door. "Danny, hold on. There's someone at the door," she said before moving to look through the peep-hole. With a grin, she opened the door, laughing as his widened.

"Hey stranger," laughed Lindsay as she switched the phone off.

"Hey back," Danny replied, returning his cell to his pocket. "I come bearing food," he said with a grin, lifting the bags of take out he had bought.

"I knew I liked you for a reason," said Lindsay as she brought her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his in a welcoming kiss.

With his free hand, Danny held her tightly, smiling inwardly as Lindsay pressed herself even closer. All in all, the day seemed to be getting brighter by the moment. At least his mind wasn't wondering over the fact that she wasn't wearing anything under the robe. Well that worked for about 5 seconds or so…

Pulling away with a groan, Danny gestured to the bags. "Food, me in hallway – see anything wrong with the picture Montana?" he asked mockingly.

"Hilarious Danny, complete riot," Lindsay replied with a roll of her eyes, turning around and heading into the kitchen.

Closing the door behind him, Danny walked into the apartment and placed the bags on the counter. Moving around the counter, he gulped slightly.

"Umm, Montana…" started Danny as Lindsay moved to look through all the bags, taking out the food.

"Hmm?" Lindsay asked, turning around to face him.

"Do you mind changing first? Cos I'm this close to not making it back to work," replied Danny, showing her his fingers, less than a millimetre apart.

Smiling at him, she walked up and leaned in to whisper into his ear, "Well that's really close isn't it cowboy? We wouldn't want you to miss work or anything important."

Danny groaned again as he tried to force himself to calm down, thinking of anything and everything that would distract him; stack of hay, horse stable, making love to Lindsay on a stack of hay at the stables…. He was failing miserably.

"Montana…" he pleaded, letting go of the breath he was holding as she laughed and walked out of the kitchen.

"She's going to kill me," muttered Danny as he continued to take out the remaining containers from the bag.

A little over half an hour later, they both stood up, grabbing all the empty boxes and dumping them in the trash. As Lindsay washed the dishes, Danny leaned against the counter, his hands running through this hair.

"Linds…about last night," he started.

"I thought we already talked about it Danny," Lindsay replied, finishing the last of the plates and drying her hands on the towel sitting on the table top.

Danny sighed, his hands rubbing his face. "I know, I know…I'm just…I'm sorry."

Moving up to him, she wrapped her arms across his waist, looking up into his eyes. "What's wrong Danny?"

"I just can't help feeling…guilty," he admitted sheepishly.

Lindsay smiled as she took hold of one his hands and placed it on her chest, above her heart.

"Do you feel this?" she asked. At Danny's nod, she continued, "It's yours Danny. I gave it to you, no one else."

Danny smiled, leaning down slowly and capturing her lips in a tantalisingly slow kiss.

"I love you, so much Lindsay Monroe," whispered Danny as he pulled away.

"I love you too Danny," she whispered back. "Now you need to get your ass back to work."

"In a minute," Danny replied, his arms still around her. "I just want to hold you for a while."

Lindsay couldn't help it as her eyes watered. There was nowhere else she would rather be than in his arms.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_For everyone who've reviewed my oneshots and haven't received a reply, I'm deeply sorry. I will get around to replying soon enough._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	19. Another Step Forward

**_A/N: Dedicated to my darling Rebecca, happy birthday hun! (well belated anyways but you already got your present!)_**

**_Thank you to everyone who've read and reviewed._**

* * *

Finally reaching her apartment, Rebecca stomped in and slammed the door shut, looking up to meet a pair of slightly annoyed eyes. 

"You know if that door breaks, you're paying for it," said Adam pointing towards the old wooden door.

Rebecca closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing her irritation at a certain partner of hers. "Sorry," she apologised sheepishly with a sigh.

Adam nodded and leaned over the counter. "So what's got you in a twist?" he asked; a grin on his face.

"Donald Flack," Rebecca spat out, walking into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Adam chuckled. Leave it to Flack to annoy Rebecca. "So what's he done now?"

Rebecca turned and gave her housemate an exasperated look. "He's taking me out on a date tonight," she replied loudly.

Adam furrowed his brows in confusion, "Did I miss something? I thought date's with the guy you're hopelessly attracted to is a good thing."

Sending Adam a glare, Rebecca walked past him and into the living room, plopping herself down onto the couch as she switched on the hi-fi for some music. Adam laughed as he followed her, perching himself on the edge of the couch. He knew that Flack had planned on springing the date on her simply because the man had called yesterday; asking if he knew Rebecca had any plans for tonight. But some things were just better kept secret.

"Seriously, what's he done?" he asked.

Rebecca looked up at Adam, tossing the man an annoyed look as she explained what happened that morning. "He won't tell me where we're going, or what I'm supposed to wear. Urgh, Men are such idiots," she scoffed.

Adam couldn't help but laugh at her. "Well like I said before," he started to get up and began to walk to his bedroom, "As long as you're not too noisy when you're doing your thing, I'm good," he finished, closing the door, barely avoiding the cushion that was hurled at him. "Nice try!" he yelled from inside.

Rebecca grumbled in annoyance. Glancing at the clock, she sighed; it was 5 o'clock which meant she had less than 2 hours to get ready. With a groan; Rebecca stood up and walked into her bedroom, wondering what on earth to wear.

XXXXXX

Walking into Danny and Lindsay's office, Stella walked in, finding Danny with his iPod on, slightly bouncing to his music whilst doing the paperwork. Stella grinned at the sight, she knew how dreary paperwork could be and couldn't fault the man for finding ways to make it more pleasant.

It was times like these that she wished a gong was present; noting that it were the perfect and opportune moment to use it on the unsuspecting colleague. With a sigh, she merely walked up to his desk, standing in front of him, simply waiting to be noticed.

With his mind stretched between work, music and more thoughts of Lindsay, Danny continued to be oblivious, only looking up to glance at the time. With a startled yelp, he jumped slightly as Stella continued to smirk at him.

"You scared the hell outta me," said Danny, his hand over his heart.

Stella laughed as she dropped a few files on his table. "Those are more fun-filled reports to be written, I've done my part."

"Well these," started Danny, picking up another stack of files off the floor, "are more fun-filled reports just waiting for you to work on Stel." Danny smirked.

Stella groaned as she covered her face with her hands. "I need to learn to enjoy doing this," she muttered, picking up the pile of reports.

"Why don't you work here?" asked Danny, sitting back slightly.

"What?"

"You can use Montana's desk, and I could use the company," said Danny innocently.

Stella grinned good naturedly, "You're on Messer, gives me the perfect opportunity to prod into your love live."

Danny groaned, "Can I take back my offer?"

"No," replied Stella as she sat down at the table. "Why is her chair more comfy than mine?" she thought aloud.

"Because you've been sitting in yours for the past 5 hours," replied Danny while working, his iPod forgotten.

Stella nodded, "I guess so."

After a few moments of silence, she spoke up again, asking the question she had so wanted to ask, "So how're you and Linds doing?"

Danny stopped and dropped his pen, his memory bringing him back to last night. "We're good," he replied softly.

Stella didn't say anything. It seemed as if Danny had other things on his mind, as she continued to give him a look.

Danny looked up to find Stella staring at him. "No, we're great," he corrected with a heart-warming smile.

"Good for you Danny," replied Stella with a smile. Shaking her head, she went back to her work. "Good for you both…"

XXXXXX

2 hours and a couple of minutes later saw Detective Don Flack and Detective Rebecca Pierce entering a bowling alley hand in hand, smiling and laughing.

"You brought me to a bowling alley?" asked Rebecca, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Flack frowned slightly, as he stopped to look at her, "We can go somewhere else if you don't like it. I just thought it'd be fun."

"No, no, I'm fine," Rebecca hastily replied. "It's just…"

"Just what?" he enquired.

"I…I don't know how to bowl," she replied softly, her eyes glued to her feet.

At his silence, Rebecca lifted her head to see Flack turning a little red. Not before long, he burst out in laugher.

"Are you telling me the great Rebecca Lily Pierce doesn't know how to bowl?" asked Flack in between chuckles. Noticing her lack of response, Flack pulled her in closer to him by the hands. Rubbing his hands up and down over her arms, he bent down slightly so their eyes met once more.

"Come on," he smiled. "I'll teach you."

"Really?" asked Rebecca, her eyes beaming.

"Of course," replied Flack with a grin. "Come on, let's go."

A few minutes later, Flack and Rebecca stood ready in front of their own lane, ready to start. Taking a ball, Flack bowled first at Rebecca's request, eager to judge his own skill; he ended with a spare. Motioning for her to come up with her ball, Flack smiled at her nervousness.

"Just relax," he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Rebecca smiled sweetly and without another word, bowled a gutter. Turning back to Flack, she smiled sheepishly at his grin. "It's not funny," she said sharply, picking up her ball.

Chuckling slightly, Flack moved behind Rebecca, their bodies fitting perfectly together. He helped her with her stance, where to aim, where to stand and how to swing. Taking her hand in hers, they moved together slowly. Rebecca shivered as she felt Flack's breath on the back of her neck, sending tingles down her body. Slowly she leaned back against his chest, their hands still moving together. Rebecca turned her head slightly as their eyes locked, experimentally; she leaned closer, brushing her lips gently against his.

As cliché as it sounded, fireworks erupted in her mind as their lips met, both teasingly and lovingly. Rebecca smiled inwardly as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as his other explored her back. Soon enough, the need for air left them gasping as they separated; their eyes still locked. Rebecca smiled as Flack grinned boyishly at her.

"What was that for?" he asked.

Rebecca shrugged gently, as she entwined her hand in his, "I don't know, for being sweet and cute?"

"I'm sweet and cute?" Flack enquired, his eyebrows raised. With a sigh, he continued, "Oh well, I'll take what I can get."

Rebecca laughed at his theatrics, shaking her head. Still grinning, Flack turned her back around, leaving her facing the lane once more.

"Come on, back to practice," he said, tugging on her hands.

XXXXXX

A few hours later, Rebecca had learned enough to hold her own. With 2 pins remaining on the left, Rebecca took her aim and bowled. As the two pins fell, she shrieked in happiness, turning around and jumping onto Flack, effectively pushing him back onto the seats. Grinning with pride, Flack gave her a short peck on the lips as he pulled her in for a hug.

Rebecca smiled a she checked her watch, her eyes widening at the time, "Wow, it's late."

Flack nodded as he checked his own watch; it was a little after 11pm and looking around, half the customers had left.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he suggested, helping Rebecca into her jacket. Shrugging his jacket on, He looked around to see if they'd gotten everything before leading them both towards the counter by the hand. Slipping off the bowling shoes, they put their own back on.

"Hope you come back," said the man before moving on to the next customer.

Soon after, they walked back to Rebecca's apartment in silence, content with simply being in the presence of the other, both their minds filled with more than happy thoughts of one another. With their hands still linked, Flack pulled her close, grinning as she gave him a smile.

"Does this…err…mean that we're…a thing now?"

"A thing?" repeated Rebecca with a grin.

With a sheepish look, Flack rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean, an 'us'."

"That depends Don, do you want there to be an 'us'?

Slowing down to a halt, Flack turned to take both her hands in his, "I really like you Rebecca,"

Rebecca smiled a tinge of red spreading across her cheeks, "I like you too, a lot."

"Can we try this thing out?" asked Flack, his hands motioning between them.

"I…I guess so," Rebecca replied softly. "I just…"

"We'll take it slow, don't worry," said Flack reassuringly with a soft smile. "I don't want to force you to do anything you're not ready for."

"I want to,"

"So do I," Flack whispered, bending down once again to place a chaste kiss on her forehead, and another on her lips.

Nodding silently, Rebecca smiled as the continued to walk again, but somehow she found it both odd and exhilarating that they were now together as a couple. The butterflies in her stomach continued to flutter but couldn't compare to the sudden bout of happiness that now surrounded her. For the first time, she actually felt giddy over a boy. No, a man; definitely a man…

Too soon, they both reached her apartment door. Rebecca turned and leaned back against the apartment door, taking a mental note of the sounds of the TV from inside, meaning Adam was still awake. Both of them still grinning, Flack pulled her to him one more time as he captured her lips with his. The kiss grew intense as his arms wrapped themselves around her, pulling her closer. Rebecca's hands wound around his neck, one of them sliding up as her fingers filtered through his hair.

Finally pulling away with the overwhelming need to breathe, they both took a moment to steady their breathing before going back to grinning to each other.

"Thanks for tonight Don," she said softly against his neck, his arms still around her.

"Anytime," Flack replied.

Stepping out of his embrace, Rebecca turned to the door and inserted her key before turning back to Flack.

"Gnite Rebecca," Flack whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight Don," she whispered back.

With a smile, Flack turned and headed down the hall. As he turned the corner, Rebecca stepped into the apartment, her smile meeting an amused grin belonging to another man, sitting at the counter, fingers drumming impatiently.

"Well? Are you going to tell me how it went or do I have to threaten to cut off the hot water?" asked Adam.

With a laugh, Rebecca shook her head as she headed into her bedroom, Adam following behind.

"Seriously, you're worse than my old room-mates Adam," Rebecca replied as she collapsed on the bed.

"So that's a yes then?"

"I need hot chocolate first," Rebecca laughed as Adam slipped out of the room in a hurry, laughing harder as Adam cursed from the kitchen as he spilled the boiling water.

It was definitely going to be a good night.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	20. A Night At The Movies

**_A/N: Thanks to all of you who've read and reviewed._**

**_I hope you enjoy the chapter._**

* * *

Danny and Lindsay laughed as they stepped into the cinema hand in hand. The tension of the past few days had finally eased up and Danny's guilt slowly draining away. Cueing in front of the concession stand, Danny smiled as Lindsay wrapped herself around him. Cupping her chin gently with one hand, he tipped her head up and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Next please," the attendant called out, pulling Danny and Lindsay out from their own little world.

"2 cokes and a large popcorn please," said Lindsay as Danny fished out his wallet from his back pocket.

"Thanks man," said Danny as the attendant handed them their popcorn and drinks. Handing over some cash, he waited for the change.

Lindsay placed a hand on Danny's arm, smiling as he turned, "Hey Dan, I'm just going to the bathroom, wait for me?"

"Sure," replied Danny, moving their things to the side as the next customer stepped forward. He watched her disappear into the crowd as the attendant tapped him gently on the shoulder.

"Here's your change sir," said the man.

Danny nodded as he took the change, "Thanks."

Leaning against the side of the counter, Danny checked the time before someone else spoke up.

"Taking your girl out man?" asked a scrawny man from beside him. He was wearing a purple sweater and jeans, carrying an armful of junk food. "Trick is to watch action flicks, you just sit back when the chicks freak out and cling to you," said the man with a laugh.

Danny gave him a weary smile as he watched a woman drag him off by the arms. Thinking back to what the man had said, Danny grinned; there was no way his Montana would 'freak out' in a thriller, she'd probably enjoy it more than he would.

Separating herself from the crowd, Lindsay walked up to Danny and gave him a peck on lips, "What are you smiling at?"

Shaking his head, Danny laughed and handed the drinks to her. "Nothing, just met someone that's all," he said, fishing the tickets out of his wallet. "Come on, let's go."

Silently they sat, his arm around her shoulder, her head resting comfortably against his shoulder. Even though Danny had just finished a long shift, he couldn't deny Lindsay of anything. As the movie continued to play, Danny found his thoughts drifting, his mind no longer concentrating on the movie. Instead, he thought about the beautiful woman he had in his arms, admitting that he was in fact the luckiest guy in New York City.

Die Hard 4. That was what Lindsay had wanted to watch, not a chick flick, nothing sappy, nothing stupid. She wanted to watch an action-packed movie, eliciting a chuckle from Danny as he remembered his earlier conversation with that man. No, his Montana wasn't like any of the other 'chicks'. She was more than that; she was the one rose in a bed of weeds. Lindsay didn't cling to him out of fear, no. She rolled her eyes at the corny lines, sending him looks every so often, she didn't flinch with a shot of a gun, and she even questioned the physics behind the shots. No, Lindsay Monroe was not ordinary, she was special, and she was his.

With a smile on his face, Danny tightened his arms around Lindsay, pulling her closer. Sending him a content smile, Lindsay settled once again in his embrace, lulled by the lazy circles he was drawing on her arms. Her eyes closed momentarily, her mind blocking out the sounds, leaving only the gentle beating of his heart; strong and consistent, just like him. Lindsay snuggled closer, content to be in his arms, the movie half forgotten.

As the credits rolled in, they stood up, stretching slightly before Danny took Lindsay's hand in his and led them out of the theatre. Walking out onto the New York Streets, Lindsay noticed Danny yawn slightly as she entwined their hands together.

"Come on cowboy, let's go home," said Lindsay with gentle smile.

Danny nodded as he flagged down a cab, letting Lindsay enter as he stood by the door.

"Ever the gentleman," teased Lindsay once Danny got in.

"Always Montana," Danny winked, leaving Lindsay in a bout of chuckles as she scooted closer to lean her head against his shoulder.

"Thanks for the movie Dan," said Lindsay softly, her fingers stroking his palm gently, her eyes locked on their entwined hands.

"Anything for you Linds," replied Danny as he gave her a kiss.

Reaching their apartment block, Danny and Lindsay got out as he paid the driver. Taking her hand in his once again, they made their way up, both sporting loving smiles. Entering the elevator, Danny wrapped his arms around her waist from the back, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. As they reached their floor, the parted slightly, but hands still entwined, leaving the other occupants of the elevator with knowing smiles.

Entering their apartment, Lindsay settled onto the couch as Danny locked the door. Joining her on the couch and wrapped his arms around his love, smiling as Lindsay leaned back into his embrace.

"Danny," Lindsay whispered.

"Hmm?"

"What changed?" Lindsay asked, her fingers playing with his.

Danny shifted slightly, allowing him to see her eyes. "What d'ya mean Montana?" he asked, signs of worry starting to appear.

Lindsay smiled lovingly, "You used to be so brash and hot-headed, now you're cuddling? I thought you didn't cuddle."

Placing a kiss to her temple, Danny returned her smile. "You changed me Montana, I grew up."

Lindsay chuckled and leaned further into his chest.

"Do you…" Danny trailed off.

"No, I don't love you any less Danny. If not the same, I love you more," Lindsay whispered, placing a kiss against his lips.

He bit back a yawn. At her knowing look, Danny managed a sheepish grin before he was dragged back onto his feat.

"Montana, I was comfortable right there," he whined.

"You're such a big baby you know that. Wait till the entire lab finds out," Lindsay replied, dragging him by the hand to the bedroom.

"You wouldn't dare," stated Danny.

"Oh?" Lindsay turned back to him. "And why wouldn't I dare?"

Leaning in, Danny whispered conspiratorially in her ear, "'Cause you're sleeping on the couch otherwise."

"You're too big a teddy bear to let me sleep on the couch all alone," Lindsay retorted.

"That's what you think," replied Danny with a yawn.

Lindsay grinned, pushing him into the bathroom, "That's what I know."

Walking back into the room, Danny shed his clothes, leaving him only in his boxers. Climbing under the sheets, he looked up to Lindsay, who was walking out of the room. "Where ya goin' Montana?" he asked.

"I'm just gonna get a glass of water cowboy," Lindsay replied before leaving the room.

Returning not 5 minutes later, Lindsay smiled at the sight of Danny already asleep. He was exhausted and she was surprised that he'd agreed to go out for the movie. The warm tingle was back as she slipped in beside him. Snuggling closer as his chest pressed against her back, Lindsay drifted to sleep as she felt his arms entwine around her waist.

XXXXXX

Slipping into his own bed, Flack groaned in pleasure as his back hit the soft mattress. He was on call and hoped to god that he wouldn't be called in. As his mind sifted through the day's events, a smile crept onto his face at the memory of their first kiss. He knew Rebecca wasn't like other women; she could hold herself in an argument, she wasn't completely reserved but not completely overbearing either. Inside, he knew he couldn't blow it this time round. As his fingers brushed his lips, a soft sigh escaped as his eyes slowly drooped to a close with thoughts of a certain brunette dancing through his mind.

XXXXXX

"So you guys are together now?" asked Adam, sitting comfortably on Rebecca's bed clutching his own mug of hot chocolate.

Rebecca nodded and took a sip from her mug, "Yeah, I guess we are."

Adam returned the nod and grinned, "Maybe now would be a good time to have the talk about safe sex, and keeping it down."

Tossing a pillow to his face, they both laughed. "Just for that, I'll make sure we make it as loud humanly possible," said Rebecca. "And if that spills, you're washing my sheets."

"So you have thought about sleeping with him," Adam said, his eyebrows raised.

Rebecca blushed slightly, "I think you need to go away now. I'm tired."

"I'm sure you are," Adam replied with a smirk as he got off the bed.

"Shut up Adam, this is the last time I'm giving you a blow by blow account of my dates you moron," said Rebecca, turning over as she snuggled into her sheets.

Adam chuckled as he walked out, "Night Becky." He switched off the lights, making his way to his own room, switching off the apartment lights and making sure the door was locked on the way.

Rebecca smiled into her pillow, thoughts of Flack flashing through her mind, lulling her to sleep with every grin and smirk.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Hope you don't mind the D/L fluff, I find myself in dire need of it all of a sudden._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	21. The Beginning

**_A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed. You make my day._**

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Danny groaned as a loud blaring noise emanated from Lindsay's nightstand. Turning over onto his front, Danny buried his head beneath his pillow as Lindsay groggily sat up on the bed. Picking up the offending device, she stared at it, waiting for her eyes to focus onto the display.

"Turn it off," Danny mumbled, his pillow pressed tightly against his ears by his hands in an attempt to dampen the shrill tone.

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she flipped open the phone and answered, "Monroe,"

"Lindsay, it's Mac,"

"Who do you need?"

"Sorry to wake you up so early but we need you at a scene, tell Danny to go back to sleep," said Mac.

With a glance at Danny, she chuckled slightly and replied, "Will do, where?" Lindsay made a mental note as Mac gave her the details. "Alright Mac, I'll be there in 20 minutes," said Lindsay as she ended the call and attempted to get up.

"5 more minutes," Danny groaned, his arms tightening around her.

"Danny," started Lindsay, cut off as Danny mumbled incoherently. Rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's childishness, Lindsay tried to untangle herself from his grip, giving up as he pulled her in tighter. "Baby I have to go," whispered Lindsay, turning within the circle of his arms to face him.

"Tell him you're sick," mumbled Danny, his eyes still closed.

Lindsay chuckled, "He just talked to me and I said I'll be there in 20 minutes."

With a sigh, he relented and relaxed his arms. A smile fluttered over his face as Lindsay ran her fingers through his short hair.

"Go back to sleep honey," she whispered softly, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Turning slightly, Danny captured her lips between his; deepening the kiss as his hands roamed her back. Pulling back, Danny opened his eyes and grinned happily at her.

"I love you, take care of yourself okay?" he whispered, his own fingers laced in Lindsay's hair.

Lindsay nodded with a smile as she extracted herself from his arms. "I love you too," she whispered in reply, adding a groan as she glanced at the clock, it was only a little after 2am.

Walking into the bathroom, Lindsay shed what remained of her clothes and turned on the shower. Hopping under the hot spray, she waited for the hot water to wake her tired muscles; her thoughts straying slightly as she silently wondered what it would take to get Danny under the shower with her. Lindsay grinned at the thought.

XXXXXX

Heading towards the crime scene, Lindsay slipped under the yellow tape and made her way towards Flack and Stella who were animatedly talking.

"Mornin' guys," greeted Lindsay, managing a smile despite the early hour.

"Where's your other half Monroe?" Flack asked with a grin. "Where there's one, the other is usually close behind."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and slapped him on the head.

"Oww, what was that for?" asked Flack, rubbing the offended area gently.

"For being a smart-ass," Lindsay replied, sharing a grin with Stella. "He has the night off, where's Mac?" she asked, looking around.

"He had another call," replied Stella.

Lindsay nodded and turned back to Flack and Stella, the latter grinning widely at Flack, "Okay so spill; what did I miss?"

Stella continued to grin between the two as she replied, "Flack took Rebecca out on a date."

"She said yes? I need to have a word with her," replied Lindsay with a wink.

"Very funny Monroe, can we please get this done with so we get the hell outta here? I'm freezing," Flack replied, rubbing his hands together.

Stella nodded as she set her kit down and donned her gloves, Lindsay doing the same. "So what do we got?" asked Stella.

Flack motioned for them to follow as he rattled off the details, "Vic is male and looks to be around mid thirties. The rest you need to see for yourself." Leading the way behind a few bushes, they arrived at the body which had been tied to the trunk of a tree fully clothed.

Lindsay gasped lightly at the sight, her mind suddenly jolted. "I recognise him," she blurted out.

"You know him?" Flack questioned.

Lindsay shook her head and explained, "No, not personally. He works at the bakery across the street from our apartment; I can't remember his name Bradley something."

Stella nodded, "That's good; means we don't have to remove you from the case."

"Body or surroundings?" asked Lindsay.

"I just ate, you take the body," Stella replied.

"Late romantic dinner with a certain someone Stel?" teased Lindsay.

Stella chuckled, "Yeah, with Hawkes in the break room, real romantic Linds. I know you have better taste than that."

Lindsay chuckled as Stella walked off. Setting her kit down, she began photographing the body, the tree and the immediate surroundings, gathering any evidence along the way. With that done, she nodded to the officers, allowing them to cut him loose, carefully placing him onto a plastic sheet to be processed.

Lindsay smiled as Peyton walked up to her, setting her own kit down by the body. "Good morning Lindsay," she greeted.

"Morning Peyton, unfortunately it's not a good one for all of us," said Lindsay motioning towards the body.

"Unfortunately," replied Peyton sombrely as she kneeled down to begin examining the body.

Lindsay went back to processing the immediate area as Peyton determined the COD, taking samples of tree bark, soil content as well as a footprint to take back to the lab for further analysis. Noticing Peyton stand, Lindsay sealed the last evidence bag and walked over to her and kneeled beside the body.

"Do we have a COD?" she asked.

Peyton nodded as she motioned for Lindsay to come closer. "COD was asphyxiation. The bruising on the victim's neck suggests strangulation," she explained.

"Pockets aren't turned out or empty and there's still a wallet full of cash. That rules out a robbery; this was pre-meditated," said Lindsay with a frown before moving to get up but stopped as Peyton continued.

"That's not all," said Peyton, "I found this in his throat," she continued, handing over an evidence bag containing a handkerchief written on with blood.

"His throat?" asked Lindsay, furrowing her brows in thought. Holding her flashlight over the cloth, Lindsay's mouth dried as she read the message on it. Her eyes flicked back to Peyton, who frowned sadly.

Standing up, she looked around and called Stella over.

"Find something Linds?" asked Stella, noting Lindsay's pale face. "What is it?"

"I think I have to be taken off the case," said Lindsay as she handed over the cloth, watching Stella's face drop as she read the message.

"I think you're right," said Stella solemnly, taking out her phone and dialling.

Nodding silently, Lindsay turned as her sight rested on the vic's face, her thoughts flying at a million miles per hour. What had she done?

Closing her eyes, the message appeared in her mind;

_Lindsay Monroe, _

_You've hurt him, again and again. Now it's my turn to hurt you._

_It's a promise._

Lindsay jumped as Stella placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a sheepish smile in apology, "Mac says to go home and get some rest. You can't work this case Linds."

Nodding silently, Lindsay bent down to pick up her kit only to be stopped by Stella, "I'll get it, don't worry."

"I just don't get it," Lindsay muttered. "Why?"

"We'll find out kiddo. We'll catch whoever did this," said Stella reassuringly. "Come on, I'll get someone to drive you home."

"Thanks Stel," Lindsay replied meekly.

Stella nodded and led them towards Flack, keeping a supportive arm over the younger woman's shoulder.

"Don, I need someone to drive Lindsay back to her apartment," said Stella.

His eyes met Stella's in confusion, nodding slightly at the look; 'Don't ask, I'll tell you later.'

"Rodriguez," Flack called out, motioning for the petite female officer to come over.

"Yes sir?"

"I need you to escort Detective Monroe home, this is her address," said Flack, scribbling Lindsay's address on his notepad, tearing it out and handing it over.

"Aye, sir," Rodriguez replied. "This way Detective," she said, turning to Lindsay.

"Thanks," Lindsay whispered softly, following the petite officer to her car.

"Lindsay," Stella called out, watching her stop and whirl around slowly.

"Tell Danny, he needs to know," said Stella reassuringly. "We'll catch whoever is behind this."

Lindsay nodded and gave another meek smile before turning back and entering the car.

As car drove off, Flack turned to Stella, "What was that all about?"

Stella sighed and handed Flack the piece of evidence, his face falling with every word he read.

"We have to catch this guy," said Don through gritted teeth.

"We will," replied Stella. "Let's get to work."

XXXXXX

Stopping in front of her building, Lindsay thanked Officer Rodriguez as she opened the car door.

"It's no problem; would you like me to walk up with you?" she asked.

Lindsay shook her head, "No thanks, I'll be fine. Thank you again."

Closing the door, Lindsay stood back and watched the car drive off. Walking into the building, she all but ran to the elevator, tears prickling behind her eyes. She needed him to hold her, to tell her that it would all be okay. She needed to hear him say it; he never lied to her. As the elevator took her up, with every passing second the image of the note appeared in her mind. She wracked her brains, trying to figure out what wrong she had done. She had hurt a lot of people sending their loved ones to prison, that was part of the job. This person seemed to have taken the grudge a step further.

As the elevator doors opened, Lindsay ran to their apartment, no longer afraid of being seen. Jamming her keys into the lock, she ran in, locked the door behind her and bolted towards the bedroom. Passing the doorway, Lindsay let out a breath, taking a moment to admire Danny's sleeping form. Dropping her jacket, Lindsay quickly changed into her tank top and sweatpants as she slipped under the covers. Moving as close to him as possible, Lindsay shut her eyes, subsiding the tears for the moment, calming slightly as she felt the warmth his body provided.

Feeling the bed dip, Danny peeked open his eyes to find Lindsay lying against him. Moving slightly, his arms encircled her body, pulling her closer to him. He watched her flinch slightly as he touched her, immediately getting worried.

"You're back early," whispered Danny, his face now buried in her hair.

"Mac sent me home," Lindsay replied weakly.

Danny leaned up slightly, stroking her hair back with one hand and placed a kiss on her temple. "Baby, what happened?"

Lindsay trembled slightly as the memory of the note fluttered across her mind once more. Turning in his embrace, she buried her face into his chest, "Just hold me Danny. Just hold me."

His heart broke at her voice of pain and fear. Pulling her tightly against his body, he placed another gentle kiss on her temple. "Always baby, always."

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_There's a new twist to this fic, and a new story arc to boot. In addition to that, if you are a D/L shipper, please sign the official "We support D/L" petition._**

**_Additional information on 'A Life With You' and the petition on my profile._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	22. My Hand In Yours

**_A/N: Sorry for the lateness, but this whole ordeal with tension between ships is really getting to me. I need to rant about it somewhere before I'm back to my usual self. Thanks to everyone whose continuous support is...well..simply amazing. I hope you enjoy the rest of this storyline._**

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Love was a new concept to Danny; although he had been with other women in the past, the woman he now held in his arms was, is and forever will be his first and only love. A worried smile fluttered across his tired face as he watched her sleep; her face glowing from the moonlight that seeped through the partly closed window blinds, shimmering on her skin. Running a finger down the side of her face, Danny released a deep sigh. Something happened at the scene and whatever it was; he wasn't willing to let her deal with it alone. She was a part of him now; her nightmares were his to bear as well.

Tucking a stray curl behind her ear, Danny pulled her closer. His arms wrapped her in a tight embrace, one she knew that would protect her from anything. Mentally taking note of the time, Danny turned back to Lindsay. Burying his face into her hair, a smile playing on his lips as her sweet and flowery scent gently lulled him to sleep.

Danny woke up to his cell phone ringing on his bedside table. Carefully, he lifted one of his arms to reach for the phone, smiling as he watched Lindsay groan from the loss of contact, shuffling closer as she buried her face in his chest.

Careful to not wake her, Danny answered the phone softly, "Messer."

"Danny? It's Mac."

With a frown, Danny shot another glance at Lindsay, still sound asleep. "What happened last night Mac?" he asked.

Hearing Mac sighing, he waited for Mac's answer in silence. "Lindsay will tell you. She's going to need you Danny."

Danny furrowed his brows in confusion, "I don't…"

"She'll tell you. I don't want her to come in this morning, give her some rest. She can come in with you later," said Mac, his voice firm but friendly.

"Alright Mac, I'll tell her," replied Danny.

After exchanging a few more words, Danny ended the awkward call and carefully manoeuvred himself to turn off Lindsay's alarm. With that done, his arms wrapped themselves around her once again, pausing briefly as Danny glanced at the time. It was only 7am; he needed to be in at 2. Taking a deep breath, Danny closed his eyes, her scent bringing warmth to his heart. The scent was hers alone, which meant it was his.

XXXXXX

As her eyes fluttered open, Lindsay yawned as she stretched slightly, taking out the kinks in her tired muscles. With a smile, she looked up to find Danny's sleeping face, his breathing slow and calm. With her cheek plastered to his chest, Lindsay's hands wandered the contours of his back, her fingers running along his muscles, tensing and relaxing at her touch. Like a sudden storm, the clouds returned as her memories of the previous night swarmed her brain. At least, she had a few seconds of peace with him before the nightmare began.

Thoughts and questions swarmed her mind, as her eyes closed and a frown appeared on her gentle face. Whoever this person was, it wasn't a game to them. It was definitely personal; one life had been lost so far, no one knew how many more lives would be taken before this guy was stopped.

Looking up, Lindsay met Danny's gaze, the worry in his eyes hidden well enough by his smile, but she knew better.

"Hey," whispered Danny, bending down slightly to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey back," replied Lindsay, the smile on her face genuine. Her heart skipping a beat at his smile, the one she loved so much. Even in the darkest of hours, his smile shone like a star in the night sky, shining bright, lending hope to her any time she needed it.

"Lindsay…," Danny started but his voice trailed off as he fought the throb he felt in his chest at the fear he saw in her eyes.

"I'm fine Danny, at least I will be," said Lindsay softly. Turning slightly so he couldn't see her face, Lindsay was shocked as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to face him.

"No," said Danny, his gaze intense but calm. "I'm not letting you go through this alone."

Her heart melted at the raw emotion weaved in his voice, his eyes showing her the depth of his sincerity. He was there for her like no other man has been. She loved him.

"I can't do this alone Danny," Lindsay replied, taking the hand that was holding her chin in hers. A smile fluttered across her tired visage as she felt his muscles relax beside her.

"I'm not holding you back at arm's length anymore," said Lindsay as she sat up. Danny followed as he leaned back against the headboard, Lindsay leaning against his bare shoulder. "I need you with me this time Danny."

Danny let out a breath, giving Lindsay a sheepish smile at her confused look.

"What?" Lindsay asked.

Danny laughed as he shook his head, his fingers flying to the back of his neck. "It's nothing, I just…expected a fight," Danny admitted.

Lindsay merely shook her head as Danny chuckled, placing an arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer to him. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, Danny smiled and whispered, "I'll be here with you."

"You don't even know what happened Dan," said Lindsay, a slight tone of disbelief leaking into her voice. She wanted to believe him. She needed to believe him.

Danny shook his head, "No, I don't, and I don't care." Flashing a loving smile, Danny continued, "We're going to get through this together, no matter what it is."

Lindsay's heart soared at his words, her smile widening as he placed another kiss on the top of her head. Pulling away slightly, her eyes dashed back and forth from her hands to his eyes, every corner of her mind screaming at her to tell him.

Sensing her inner turmoil, Danny took her hands in his, holding tight. Lindsay took another deep breath, this time ready to talk. Slowly, she explained to him last night's events, her arrival, Mac's other case and how she and Stella had teased Flack about Rebecca. It was up to when Peyton finished with the body that Lindsay paused for a second.

With a gentle squeeze of the hand from Danny, she continued, "There was handkerchief stuffed into the victim's throat, and a message on it written with blood."

Danny's face showed a look of confusion and distaste at the description. "What did the message say?" he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.

Her eyes closed and her hands clutching his tightly, Lindsay paused as the mental image flew into her mind once again, "Lindsay Monroe, you've hurt him again and again. Now it's my turn to hurt you. It's a promise."

"It's not the first time I've gotten a threat, but this one's different Danny," she explained.

"We'll catch whoever did this, don't worry sweetheart. We'll catch them," comforted Danny. Tightening his arms around her, he let his presence comfort her more than his words. She needed him, and he wasn't going anywhere.

"Someone wants me dead Danny, how can I not worry?" Lindsay whispered, her voice beginning to crack.

Tilting her head towards his, their eyes met as Danny stroked her cheek softly. "Because as long as I'm here, no one is going to lay a finger on you," whispered Danny, his smile replaced with a determined stare. "You got that? No one is going to hurt you cause they're gonna have to go through me first."

Seeing her nod, Danny pulled her head to his, claiming her sweet lips with his own in a loving kiss. "Nothing's going to happen, I won't let it," he murmured against her lips.

Leaning her head against his shoulder, Lindsay closed her eyes in thought. Whatever she had done in her life, was in the past. All she cared about now was to catch whoever had done this, and that she could do because Danny was by her side, ready to catch her with every slip, and holding her up with every fall.

Opening her eyes, Lindsay felt the fear and insecurity seep away, replaced by courage, strength and love. "We have to catch this guy Danny. We have to," said Lindsay.

Danny nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. This was the woman he fell in love with, able to bring herself back from any depth of fear and pain. They were going to end whatever that has been started, confident that the murderer would not get the last word. He would make sure of that.

"Come on, we gotta get ready for work," said Danny. "I need a shower, care to join me?"

Getting off the bed, he tugged her along behind him before she stood completely still. Looking back, Danny saw her eyes widened in realisation.

"I had a morning shift today, I…completely forgot…Mac's going to kill me," said Lindsay, her voice a little higher than usual.

With a knowing smile, Danny stepped back to her, wrapping his arms around her once again, giving her a kiss. "Don't worry about it, Mac called, he said to let you sleep in and to bring you in with me," explained Danny.

Sagging with relief, Lindsay smiled sheepishly. A thought came to her mind, "You said something about a shower," whispered Lindsay, tiptoeing so her lips grazed his ear. With her hands roaming across his bare back, she chuckled as Danny groaned, his lips latched onto her neck. Lindsay yelped as Danny lifted her into his arms, carrying her into the bathroom and kicking the door closed.

XXXXXX

On the other side of the city, Stella arrived at an alley, located in the depths of the Bronx. The sight seemed familiar to her as she kneeled down, her suspicions confirmed.

"This can't be happening, not again," said Stella as she picked up her phone and dialled. A dead body laid mangled beside her, a woman this time, recognised by Stella as the shop assistant who worked at the grocery store down the road from Danny and Lindsay's place.

After a few rings, Mac picked up as she filled him in on the situation, a frown marring his stern face. Turning around, he saw both Flack and Rebecca through the glass of his office, both with equally stern faces.

"Pack it up and get back here ASAP. This is bigger than we thought," replied Mac, setting the phone back down in its holder and motioning for the two detectives to enter.

"We've got another one Mac," said Flack as he entered, no longer bothering with pleasantries.

"I know," replied Mac, his frown deepening as the two detectives shared confused a glance. "It's not the one in the Bronx is it?"

Both shaking their heads, Rebecca spoke up, "By the Queens, we just got the call. Officer found a note stuffed inside the victim's throat."

Mac nodded grimly, "Stella confirmed another victim with the same MO in the Bronx. She's on her way back here." Glancing at the time, Mac added, "Danny and Lindsay should be coming in soon."

"We'll wait," said Flack. Turning to Rebecca he asked, "You want some coffee?"

Rebecca nodded, "I'll come with you."

Wordlessly, they left Mac's office, all three of them with the same thoughts on their minds; Lindsay's safety and whoever this guy is; captured.

XXXXXX

20 minutes later, Danny and Lindsay walked into the lab, laughing as Lindsay slapped his arm. With a look of mock-hurt and a pout, he grinned as Lindsay kissed it off. No longer caring if anyone saw them, Danny wrapped his arms around her, pulling Lindsay closer to him. Standing in the middle of the lobby, their one and only thought was of the feel of the other. Danny grinned inwardly into the kiss, loving the feel of her arms around his neck. He loved her with all his heart, and it was about time everyone knew it.

As they pulled away, Lindsay looked up to see Danny grinning. She blushed and led them to the elevators, her hand firmly grasped by his. As the elevator doors closed, she turned to him, her smile broad.

"You've been kissing me all morning," said Lindsay. "And just now, at the front desk; it's not like you."

"I can't help it," Danny whispered, his breath warm against her neck as his arms snaked around her. "You always look so damn beautiful," he murmured against her skin.

"Danny…we're in the lab," Lindsay warned.

"So?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "You're incorrigible."

"You love it," he teased with a smile as the elevators opened.

Stepping out, they made their way towards Mac's office, hoping to get a new case. They knew that they couldn't work Lindsay's case since they were both now personally involved. Engrossed in each other, Lindsay laughed as Danny occasionally bumped his hips against hers. A part of her wondered where the rumours of him not cuddling ever came from. She knew from experience that he loved it. To her he was nothing more than a big closet teddy bear, with a tough guy attitude that only she could see through.

Reaching Mac's office, Danny was about to knock when he saw the room's occupants; the entire team as well as Flack and Rebecca discussing something. Bringing his knuckles to the glass, they entered as Mac waved them in, Lindsay's hand grasped firmly in his.

"Hey guys," greeted Danny, his previous good mood slowly slipping away.

"What happened?" asked Lindsay, determined to know the truth.

Moving back behind his desk, Mac sat down in his chair as he looked at the both of them. His face stern as ever, Mac pointed to the two pieces of key evidence lying on his desk.

"There've been two more attacks."

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**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_To everyone in the US, happy early 4th of July, and to the rest of you; happy Wednesday._**

**_I hope you enjoyed the chapter, there's more to love, more fluff, more action and hopefully I wont add any cliffys._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	23. No Evidence

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who continues to support this fic! This chapter was supposed to have been posted yesterday had my internet not died. Kindly direct complaints to my service provided, the phone number and address to which will shortly be posted on my profile if I ever bother myself to find it in the first place. Chances are, it wont be there anytime soon. Moving on, hope you all had a lovely 4th of July even if I don't celebrate it; a little late I know...but oh well._**

**_Here's the new chapter, enjoy._**

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"Where are they?" asked Lindsay. Although her resolve was set; that she was going to get through this ordeal with Danny's help, the case continued to eat at her, slowly but surely, waiting for her to snap. Lindsay could only hope that it would end beforehand. 

Motioning towards the two evidence bags lying on his desk, Mac nodded at Lindsay's unasked questions. With 2 strides, Lindsay took them and returned to her spot, Danny's arms around her once again.

She ignored the looks shared between the team as she passed one of the bags to Danny. Her heart plummeted as she read the message; "_Another present for you, the price for hurting him. The next is another, after which one of yours will pay."_

Danny held her close, handing over the other bag with the second message; _"Love the one who loves you, no other. He will be next."_

"What does it mean," Danny whispered.

"We were hoping you guys could tell us that," replied Flack.

Danny was confused, "Montana?"

She shook her head, not really knowing what any of the messages meant, "I don't know either. Who are the victims?"

"One is the girl that works at the store across the street from your apartment," said Stella.

"Sandra?" asked Danny.

Stella nodded. "We found her in the Bronx, deserted ally."

"The other?" asked Lindsay.

"A Jason Fillone," replied Rebecca.

"That name sounds familiar," said Lindsay.

"He worked at the paint shop down the block from your apartment," Flack supplied. "We found him in the Queens."

"3 bodies in 24 hours scattered all around New York," said Danny. "How does that work?"

At the silence, Mac stood up around the front of his desk, leaning against the edge. "We'll have to figure that out and work with what we have," he paused. "Danny, Lindsay, I know protocol says that you two shouldn't be involved, but I've been authorised to let you both work the case. We need all hands on deck for this one. I want this guy cuffed and behind bars ASAP, got it?"

"Yes Sir," they chorused, leaving Mac growling in distaste.

Nodding slightly, Mac turned to Danny and Lindsay, "I want you both to head down to the morgue, Sid and Peyton should be done with all three autopsies by now." Turning to Stella and Hawkes, he motioned for them to follow him as he made for the door, "Stella, Hawkes, you're with me. We're gonna take a look at every inch of their clothes." Turning back to Danny, he added, "I want an update in an hour."

Danny nodded as they Mac's office, leaving only Flack, Rebecca, Lindsay and himself. Turning to Lindsay, he took her hand in his, gently tugging. "Come on, we've got work to do. Maybe Sid has some new stories," he said with a smile.

Lindsay laughed as she let him tug, "Let's go cowboy." They were going to catch whoever did all this. It was going to end.

"You guys okay?" asked Danny just before exiting.

Flack looked up from his whispered discussion with Rebecca, "Yeah we're good; just going over some details."

Danny nodded and continued to lead Lindsay out. As they waited for the elevator, he turned to her, a worried frown on his face. With a smile, Lindsay leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I'm fine Danny," she whispered, her smile genuine but not quite reaching her eyes.

"You sure? You know you can tell me anything right?" asked Danny.

Lindsay nodded. As the elevator doors opened, she led him in. "I know Danny, I'm fine." Seeing that Danny was about to reply, she cut in, "And if I'm not fine, I'll tell you and let you hold me – okay?"

Danny grinned, "You got a deal Montana."

"You're impossible," Lindsay replied with a smile, elated at Danny's protectiveness.

Entering the morgue, Danny and Lindsay walked to Peyton and Sid who were discussing something over a body. Noticing the detectives, they stopped, Peyton managed a smile.

"What do you have for us?" asked Danny.

Pausing for a moment to share a glance, Peyton moved to uncover 2 bodies, "Sandra Madison, 24. Jason Fillone, 28," and Sid uncovered the third, "Bradley Caldon, 25."

"All three bodies have 2 things in common," said Peyton.

"All three were heavily drugged by an unknown substance," explained Sid. "We've sent blood samples to tox to determine what it was."

"Secondly, all 3 victims died of asphyxiation by strangulation, no doubt after the victims had been drugged."

"That way, they were too weak to fight back," suggested Lindsay.

"Doesn't tell us how they managed to do all this in 24 hours though," said Danny.

"Actually, they didn't," supplied Sid.

"What do you mean?" Danny questioned, furrowing his brows in confusion.

Lindsay however seemed to catch on, "The bodies aren't recent?"

Peyton nodded, "They are recent, but not all in the span of 24 hours."

"Sandra Madison died almost 3 days ago and Jason Fillone died approximately 47 hours ago," explained Sid. "Bradley Caldon was murdered approximately 16 hours ago."

"That explains how it was done," said Danny. "They kept the bodies?

"It would seem that the killer had the intension of us finding all 3 bodies at once," said Peyton.

"Any trace on the bodies?" Lindsay asked.

Peyton nodded, "We've sent it up. But there's one more thing."

"What is it?" asked Danny.

"The bruising on Sandra's body has finally settled and we were able to find the strangulation marks on her neck," said Peyton. "We can't tell for sure if it's male of female but he or she is not very big. In fact, I would say rather short."

"That explains why they had to resort to drugging the victims first, to eliminate the chance of being overpowered," said Danny.

"Exactly," replied Sid.

Turning to Danny, they shared a glance before Lindsay saw him nod. She turned back to Sid and Peyton, "We're going to see Mac, thanks for the info."

Peyton and Sid simply nodded.

XXXXXX

Huddled over the layout table, the team poured their findings together, discussing any possible leads that could be followed.

"We're still waiting for the tox report on the blood samples Peyton collected as well as well as trace from their fingernails," said Stella.

"Did you guys find anything from the clothes?" asked Lindsay.

Mac shook his head, "Only traces of the surroundings, nothing solid for us to go on."

"We know that the suspect is reasonably short, around 5 ft 2," said Danny.

Lindsay smiled as Danny's hand crept up her back, rubbing gently in support. Although his mind was on the case, it never ceased to amaze her how he could think of her at the same time, at least most of the time.

"We also know that the suspect drugged the victims to prevent retaliation," said Lindsay.

Stella nodded. "We need more evidence," she muttered.

"We can't afford that Stella," said Mac. "It means another body."

"I know Mac, I know," replied Stella as she glanced at Lindsay and Danny. She nudged Mac lightly from under the table, nudging towards their direction.

"I'm fine Danny…" whispered Lindsay.

"You're not. Baby you're tired, maybe you should-" Danny whispered in reply.

"I'm fine, I promise," said Lindsay, her hand gently rubbing Danny's thigh.

"I agree with Danny," said Mac, causing both of them to look up.

A little embarrassed that Mac had heard them, Lindsay spoke up. "I'm fine Mac, Danny is just being paranoid," said Lindsay, shooting a glance at Danny who scowled.

"I think we should call it a night," said Mac. "We need fresh eyes on this."

"But Mac," argued Lindsay.

"No buts Lindsay," Mac replied. That was that, no more arguments.

"I'm gonna check on tox," said Hawkes for the first time. Silently, he had been watching Danny and Lindsay together, a small smile on his face. Still keeping an ear on the case discussion, Hawkes wondered how this whole ordeal was affecting their relationship.

Stella nodded as well, "I'm going to trace to see if we have any updates."

"You two go home," pointed Mac.

"Alright, alright," replied Lindsay, her hands up in defeat at the glares the two men were shooting her. "You're supposed to be on my side by the way," said Lindsay, her finger poking Danny in the chest.

"I am on your side, just not when my boss sends me home and you want me to stay," replied Danny with a smirk.

Lindsay rolled her eyes as Danny started to nudge her out.

"Danny, Lindsay, wait a minute," said Mac.

"Yeah Mac,"

"I need to talk to you about security detail," said Mac.

"I don't need a security detail," replied Lindsay, her arms crossed in annoyance.

"We have a serial killer who's after you," Mac pointed out.

"I can take care of myself, and I have Danny," Lindsay replied.

"That's my point," said Mac. At both their confused looks, he continued, "I'm assigning Danny as your security detail."

"Oh no," replied Lindsay, turning to find Danny smirking at her. "You just enlarged his ego you know that Mac?"

With a chuckle, Mac continued, "You guys can sort it out, but I want Danny by your side at all times you understand?"

"Yea," Lindsay relented.

"Good. Now get out of here,"

XXXXXX

A light murmuring could be heard as a voice floated out through the open hotel window. Silently perched on the edge of the balcony, the voice from the next room grew louder.

"Hey Lindsay, it's Stan."

…

"Yeah I'm leaving tomorrow morning,"

…

"No, no, it's alright. I thought we might be able to get together sometime tomorrow morning?"

…

"Oh, that's all right. Anytime would be great. I'd like to see the guy again. He wasn't all that coherent the last time we met."

…

There was laughter.

…

"Alright, tomorrow then, bye!" replied Stan as he set the hotel phone back down.

Glancing at his open balcony, a figure entered his room, covered completely from head to toe in black. "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked, alarmed.

"I just want what's mine. Lindsay has what's mine so you're going to help me get it back," the person replied.

A shiver ran through his spine at the voice. It was female. Judging by her size, Stan figured that he could take her. Unfortunately his body had other ideas; his eyes began to blur as his heart began to pound.

"Wha…what's happening," he stumbled to the bed.

The woman snickered, "That would be your dinner talking. Bad shrimp? You have no idea."

"Why?" Stan managed to get out.

"Because she has something that should belong to me, and I want him back,"

"Him?"

"Him. I'm afraid I'm running short of time, I'll have to say goodbye Stan. Your girlfriend will be joining you very soon," said the woman, her hands flying to Stan's neck.

With little energy left, Stan managed to yank off the hood and mask but had no strength to fight back, his world slowly succumbing to darkness.

Climbing back over the balcony railing, the woman looked back. "Lindsay Monroe, you're next," she muttered.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_The drama continues... any idea what the killer wants now? It will all be revealed shortly...after a few more chapters._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	24. Break In The Case

**_A/N: Thanks to everyone who've read and reviewed! Your support is feeding my muse. FYI that's a good thing._**

* * *

****

Unlocking the door, Flack tossed the keys onto the kitchen counter as he entered, letting Rebecca pass into the hallway before he turned back to lock the door. Walking to the couch, Flack let out a sigh as he settled in, letting the cushions mould to the shape of his back. With his eyes closed, Flack smiled as he felt the couch dip slightly. Rebecca sat next to him, her eyes gently caressing his face, attempting to peer into his thoughts.

With no answer, Rebecca shifted closer. "What's on your mind Don?" she asked gently.

Letting out another breath, his eyes remained closed as Flack replied, "The case, Linds and Danny. It's just all so sudden."

Rebecca managed a slight smile as she snuggled against him, his body offering the strength she needed. "They'll be fine," Rebecca replied softly.

"He loves her more than anything. I've never seen him that way before," muttered Flack. "They've had problems since day 1. Life hasn't exactly been easy on them."

"They get closer and stronger because of it," replied Rebecca. "They'll get through it. If I know Danny at all, he's not prepared to let anything happen to her."

"You're right about that," Flack admitted. "Doesn't stop him from worrying though, doesn't stop me from worrying either. She's like a sister to me."

"Me too," whispered Rebecca.

A frown appeared on Flacks face as he opened his eyes and looked down to Rebecca. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

Rebecca shook her head and smiled, "I'm an only child and an orphan. Get over it Don, I have."

With a chuckle, Flack pulled her closer and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Groaning as Rebecca deepened the kiss, pulling him on top of her.

Flack pulled away breathlessly, "Rebecca, we need…"

Rebecca silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I want to," she whispered, her eyes gazing dreamily into his.

That was all he needed as his mouth crashed to hers, his hands holding her firmly yet lovingly.

XXXXXX

Across town, Danny sat worriedly on their bed as Lindsay was brushing her teeth in the bathroom. Every time he asked if she was alright, she would give him the same answer in reply, "I'm fine Danny." He wanted to believe her but he knew better. She did it because she didn't want anyone too close. But he knew better.

Lindsay walked back into the room and got into bed, snuggling close to Danny's body as he pulled her close. She smiled as Danny laced his fingers into her hair, knowing how much he loved to do it. Without a word, Lindsay turned to face him, bringing his hand to her mouth, placing a kiss on his open palm.

"How's your hand?" she asked, her finger trailing around the cast.

Danny shrugged, "Doc says it can come off next week."

"That's good," replied Lindsay.

"How are you coping?" he asked.

"You never believe me when I say I'm fine," she said softly.

Danny looked away guiltily for a moment; Lindsay's fingers making him face her.

"Montana…" he started but trailed off with the lack of words to say.

"Can't you believe me for once Danny? I'm fine," she repeated once again.

Danny scoffed, "I'll believe it when I see that you're fine."

"What makes you think I'm not?" asked Lindsay, her temper beginning to flare.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he muttered.

That did it. "What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked loudly. "What makes you think I'm not fine?"

"Well for one thing, if you were fine you wouldn't be yelling at me for not believing you!" replied Danny. He was tired of her pushing him away, even if it was only slightly.

"I've just…got a lot on my mind," Lindsay replied, turning away.

Danny laughed mockingly. "Why can't you just admit that you're hurting? Does your pride get it in the way of everything?" he asked bitterly.

Lindsay stared at him in shock. "Well if you know me so well, why don't you tell me how I feel then?"

"You're scared. But you're even more scared of the fact that the case is eating at you. You can't even come to me for god knows why and you insist that you're fine when you're clearly not," said Danny, his voice rising.

"I'm the one with a serial killer after me, I'll bloody well act how I want," Lindsay replied, her heart beating a thousand times a second.

Danny closed his eyes, trying to get his own temper under control. "Why? Why do you have to do this every time?" he asked softly, his gaze meeting hers.

"Why do you care?" Lindsay muttered.

"Because I love you!" yelled Danny, watching Lindsay jump a little at his outburst.

Taking another breath, he explained softly, "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you Lindsay. I just…I don't know."

"Danny…"

"Do you know what I think about every morning?" he asked.

Lindsay shook her head.

"You," he replied simply. "I think about how lucky I am for having someone like you in my life, and I still wonder what I did to deserve you."

"Danny…" started Lindsay, tears pooling at the back of her eyes, but Danny continued.

"I get scared when I wake up alone, thinking maybe it was just a dream. Then I see your dresser next to mine, your hairbrush on your table. Linds…" Danny trailed off as he took another deep breath. "I can't lose you," he whispered.

"You won't," Lindsay whispered.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Danny.

Lindsay smiled wearily as Danny placed his head onto her lap, running her fingers through his hair. "Because I'm not letting you go," she replied.

Taking another breath, Lindsay continued, "I don't want to push you away. I just, maybe if people believe that I'm fine then I might believe it too. I just don't know how to feel Danny."

"You don't have to be so brave all the time Montana," said Danny, sitting back up beside her.

"Don't I?" she asked. "Sometimes I feel like people are just waiting for me to break-down."

"I just want to know how you feel, is that too much to ask?" whispered Danny.

Lindsay shook her head slightly, her head leaning against his shoulder. "No, it's not and I'm…"

"Don't say you're sorry," Danny cut in. "Just promise me you won't pretend around me. Please?"

"I promise," she whispered.

Danny smiled, bringing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Lindsay groaned in pleasure as Danny left her lips, trailing kisses down her jaw and neck.

"Danny, we shouldn't…" whispered Lindsay, silenced as Danny placed a finger to her lips.

"Just let me love you," he whispered, bringing his lips to hers once again, elated as she began to kiss him back.

'Just let me love you…'

XXXXXX

The next morning, Mac sat silently at his desk, checking his email for any new updates on the case. One caught his eye. Clicking on the link, Mac frowned at the content; there was nothing save an address.

From the couch, Peyton looked up to see his frown. "What is it Mac?"

Mac shook his head, "I don't know. Someone sent me an address but I don't know why."

Peyton stood up and walked over to Mac. Slipping in behind him, she glanced at the screen. "A hotel?" she asked.

"It seems so. We'll take a look at it once the rest of my team gets here," replied Mac.

Peyton nodded. "I have to get back down to the morgue. I'll see you later?" she asked.

Mac smiled, "Of course."

XXXXXX

Lindsay seemed to be in a mental haze the whole morning, having woken up from a night of passion and love, with Danny. Still with a dopey grin plastered on her face, she took a glance at Danny, who was walking beside her, holding her hand tightly as they made their way to the their office. His grin mirrored hers perfectly, leaving lab techs with knowing looks as they passed.

The whole night, Danny had held her and continuously reassured her that he would be there for every minute of every day. Of course, Danny being Danny, he couldn't help but add in a little joke in the midst of all the seriousness. Apparently he would only be there for her if she made him breakfast for a week, earning him a pinch on the butt and a bout of laughter afterwards. But even through the seriousness and the jokes, Lindsay admitted to the fact that he had cracked her shell, making his way slowly into the depth of her heart. He wanted her to trust him, she wanted to as well. Her whole life she had kept her heart in solitude, building walls around her; never letting anyone in. Danny was different, he made his way in unannounced and she loved him for it, more than ever.

Finally entering their office, they parted slightly as they walked to their respective desks.

"Do you think we can move our desks next to each other Montana?" Danny asked, one hand on his chin in thought.

Lindsay laughed. He was actually contemplating it. "If you find out how, you're moving them. I'm not helping," she quipped.

Danny scoffed. "Some help you are," he muttered, sending Lindsay into another bout of laughter.

Shaking her head, Lindsay turned back to her computer. Opening up her email, she began to sift through the messages. One struck her to be strange. Opening it up, her happy mental haze cleared in a heartbeat as she read the message;

_Call your boyfriend Monroe; maybe he's not as fine as you thought._

Without a second thought, Lindsay took out her phone and dialled Danny's cell. It rang on the other side of the room. Glancing up, Lindsay offered him a sheepish smile to meet his smirk.

"You okay there Montana?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

Lindsay narrowed her eyes, "It's not funny."

His laughter died immediately at her tone. "What happened?" he asked.

Motioning for him to come over, Lindsay's heart settled slightly as he placed two hands on her shoulders, squeezing them gently in support.

Reading the message, Danny furrowed his brows in confusion. "Okay, what purpose does that serve?" he asked.

Lindsay shrugged and leaned her head back to look up at him. 'I don't know but we should tell Mac," she said, printing the email out.

Danny nodded but stopped half way. "Wait a minute, what's the address?"

Lindsay gave the copy to Danny as he went back to his computer. A few seconds later, a new printout arrived. Taking the paper, he gave it to Lindsay.

"It's the same person Montana," said Danny, wondering what was going on.

Lindsay frowned slightly as she read; "She doesn't deserve you after what she did. You deserve me."

"Well this is a newsflash," said Lindsay.

"Huh?"

"Someone wants me dead because they're in love with you," replied Lindsay. "If I didn't love you so much I'd dump you on the spot," she quipped.

Danny scowled, "Haha very funny Montana. We still need to show Mac."

Lindsay smiled as she stood up, watching Danny wait impatiently at the door. "Danny…did I upset you honey?"

"No," Danny replied with a scoff.

Lindsay walked up to him, her arms going around his waist. Leaning up to kiss him, she smirked as Danny groaned when she pulled back. Without a glance, she sauntered off in the direction of Mac's office.

"That was mean Montana," Danny whined. A laugh echoed from down the hall.

Reaching Mac's office, Danny held the door as Lindsay entered. He managed to slap her behind lightly. Seeing Mac give him a look, Danny blushed.

"What do you have for me?" asked Mac.

"We both received emails from the killer," replied Danny.

Mac raised his eyebrows. "Both of you?" he asked.

Danny nodded, "I think we now know why."

At Mac's look, Lindsay spoke up, "Apparently whoever it is doesn't approve with my relationship with Danny," she said, handing the emails to Mac.

Danny noticed the odd look on Mac's face as he read the messages. "What it is Mac?"

"The address, I received an email from this address this morning," replied Mac.

Lindsay's eyes widened. "What did it say?"

Mac shook his head. "Nothing, there was just an enclosed address to a hotel."

'Address to hotel,' thought Lindsay. Suddenly something clicked. "Mac, can I see all the messages again?" she asked.

"Sure," replied Mac, handing her the evidence from the box on his desk.

Taking the bags, she studied the messages for a moment before her eyes widened in realisation.

Lindsay turned to Danny. "Dan, look at this."

Leaning in, he peered at the messages before realisation hit him too. "Stan's the next target," he muttered.

"One of you, please explain," said Mac.

"A week ago, a family friend from Montana came down to New York for an expo. I was supposed to meet Danny for dinner, but I forgot. And then Stan called so I went out with him. I guess in all the excitement, I forgot to call Danny. He saw us hugging in front of the apartment and…" Lindsay trailed off.

"And?" asked Mac.

"I thought she was cheating on me," Danny replied softly.

"Danny…," started Lindsay but stopped as Danny flashed a smile.

"That explains some of these messages," Mac confirmed. "Where is Stan staying?"

"Manhattan Hotel," Lindsay choked. "Why?"

"That's the address I received," replied Mac grimly. "We need to send a squad there immediately. I think you two should stay here, I'll find Stella."

With his cell to his ear, Mac walked out without another word. Danny turned to Lindsay; silent and her arms wrapped around herself. With her eyes closed, Danny saw her shake. Not knowing what he could do, Danny got up and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Linds?" he asked.

Without a reply, Lindsay merely buried her face into Danny's chest. Feeling her sob gently against him, Danny closed his eyes, his arms holding her gently. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, he whispered softly, "Everything's going to be fine. I promise."

XXXXXX

Moving to the door, Flack knocked hard. "NYPD open up."

There was no answer. Sharing a look with Rebecca, he broke the door open as Rebecca radioed in for back-up. Entering with their pieces in hand, they cleared the scene. Holstering their guns, Flack and Rebecca looked around the room. Stan was sprawled along the edge of the bed, his legs dangling off the side. His face showed signs of struggle with slight bruising along his jaw. His eyes were shut, his jaw slack.

A few minutes later, a unit arrived along with the CSIs. Mac and Stella entered the room as the uniforms roped off the area. Taking a look at the body, Stella went to work as Mac processed the surroundings.

Standing by the open sliding door, Mac noticed a little smudge on the balcony railings. "I think we have our point of entry, and most probably exit," he said, indicating the partial shoe print on the railing.

Stella looked up proudly. "I think we have a suspect," she announced, holding up a strand of long blonde hair.

Mac smiled, "Take that to the lab, I'll continue to process. I want that name Stella."

"You got it," replied Stella with a nod. Getting up, she packed up her kit and left.

"Flack," Mac called out.

"Yeah?" replied Flack from the hallway.

"We need the names of whoever stayed in the two adjoining rooms over the past week," said Mac as both Flack and Rebecca entered the room.

"I'll get right on that," replied Rebecca, already walking out of the room.

"Did you find something?" asked Flack.

Mac nodded. "A possible hair from the murderer," he replied.

"I hope it is," said Flack grimly.

"We all do," he replied. Noticing Flack's silence, Mac placed a hand on his arm. "You alright Flack?"

Flack shrugged it off lightly, "Yeah I'm fine. Danny and Lindsay?"

"As well as could be expected," replied Mac. "This case is testing their relationship."

"They'll get through it," said Flack.

"They will."

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_I know you're all peeved cause you still don't know who "she" is. So lets play guess the "her" and the winner gets...a new chapter a day early? I like that fact._**

**_I'm hosting a gameshow. Great. Winner gets a PM from me and the new chapter...a few hours earlier. Yeah...a few hours. Guess away!_**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	25. Shattered Heart

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who've read and reviewed. Your support is truly amazing. Great guesses everyone but no one got it right...I guess that's a good thing since you would have gotten this chapter tomorrow otherwise. _****_All mistakes are my own._**

* * *

****

Walking down the hallway alone, Danny took the time to gather his thoughts. Lindsay had taken the news of Stan's death the way he had expected her to; she became withdrawn and wanted nothing but to be alone. But she kept her promise; she told him she just needed some time before talking to anyone about it. He had her word that he'd be the first she'd go to when the time came. He had respected her need for space, hoping that it would be enough to think things through.

With a cup of coffee in hand, Danny headed towards their office where he had left her. Looking up, Danny managed a smile as Stella strode towards him but before he could utter a single greeting, Stella whirled by, her curls flying frantically behind her.

"Stella!" Danny called out, hoping to get some kind of news from his boss.

Stella continued down the hallway but called out a response before disappearing off into a lab, "No time to talk Danny, we found something!"

Danny's spirits rose at the news as he all but ran the remainder of the way to his office.

"Hey Mon-" he started but stopped at the empty room.

Setting the steaming mug down on his desk, he left the room in search of her; looking through the many labs. His heart began to beat frantically at her disappearance, leading up to him storming into Mac's office, out of breath.

"Mac," he started. "I can't find Lindsay anywhere."

Mac stood up and motioned him to sit down on the couch, "Calm down Danny. Lindsay's fine. She just wanted some air. I told her to get some coffee."

"She's out there alone?" Danny asked loudly. Seeing Mac flinch slightly, Danny sobered. "Sorry," he muttered.

Mac shook his head, "Don't worry about it. She's got a uniform with her. There's a note on your table."

"Oh…" Danny nodded slightly and stood up, offering Mac a sheepish smile.

"Sorry about that," said Danny. "I'm just…"

"You're worried about her, it's understandable. I know where she is," replied Mac.

Danny nodded his thanks and headed for the door when Mac called his name.

Danny turned around, "Yeah Mac?"

"For the record, I'm proud of you," said Mac, a fatherly smile appearing on his face. "You've grown and everyone see's it. I'm putting you back on the promotion grid."

Danny was speechless, "I…err, thanks Mac. Thanks a lot."

Mac simply nodded and waved him out.

XXXXXX

A few blocks away, Lindsay sat down in an empty café with Officer Rodriguez. Linda Rodriguez. Gently sipping her coffee, Lindsay sighed loudly. Stan's death hit her like a brick wall. She could feel the killer getting closer to her, victim by victim.

A chuckle travelled through her body as her thoughts strayed to Danny as it always would. She knew he would probably be running rampant looking for her, even if she left a dozen notices on his computer screen. She marvelled at his ability to know when she truly needed something. She had asked for space, not to push him away but because she needed to think by herself. He had respected that need and hadn't pushed. Silently Lindsay wondered what she had done to deserve such a man; one that loved her unconditionally, one that knew her more than she at times knew herself.

XXXXXX

Sitting at his desk, Danny grinned idiotically at his monitor that was now covered in post-it notes: the message, "Dan- gone out for coffee. Don't worry; I've got a uniform with me. Love you –Montana", the name of the café and even a small map drawn with directions to the place.

How he had managed to miss them was beyond him. Looking up, he saw Stella once again, but this time a frown on her face, and she was running – with heals. Danny knew something was up. Stella yelled something out as she passed his office that Danny thought sounded like "Mac's office now!"

Hastily getting up, Danny ran after her. As they both entered Mac's office, Danny came face to face with Flack, his frown matching Stella's.

"What's going on?" asked Danny.

Without a word, they handed their results to him. Mac had already been informed of the findings over the phone. Danny furrowed his brows in confusion at the results.

"It can't be…" he muttered.

"We have to go now," said Mac, already walking out the door.

"We'll never get there in time, its rush hour," Flack called out. They were all running to the elevator.

"We'll run," Mac replied. "Danny I want you to call Lindsay. Keep her on the phone for as long as you can. Stella, find Hawkes and head to the perp's apartment."

Stella nodded as she ran off down the hall. Getting off the phone, Flack turned to Mac and Danny, "I've got a squad nearby, ETA 2 minutes."

Glancing at the elevator, Mac turned to the emergency exit. "We'll take the stairs," he called out.

XXXXXX

Finishing her coffee, Lindsay turned to Linda, noticing her growing smile.

"What?" she asked.

Linda shook her head, "Nothing."

Lindsay frowned slightly, only to be replaced by a smile as her phone began to ring.

"Monroe," she answered.

"Montana? Baby, are you okay?" came Danny's worried voice.

"Of course I am. Why I wouldn't be?" she asked with a laugh. "You okay baby?"

Danny stuttered slightly as he jumped off the last flight of stairs and ran out of the building after Mac, Flack behind him. "Err…I was just worried." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Are you running Danny?" asked Lindsay, her brows furrowed.

"Uh yeah…I've kind of been chasing Stella around," Danny replied, hastily making his way through the crowd of people. "Is Rodriguez with you?"

"Yeah, she is. Why?"

"Never mind, have you eaten or drank anything?" he asked, silently thanking Peyton for informing him that what ever the drugs the murderer had used, it was most likely ingested.

"Just finished my coffee, Danny what's going on?" Lindsay asked. Danny was starting to worry her.

"I err…just stay on the line okay baby?"

"Danny…I'll be back at the lab soon."

"No, just…is there anyone else there?" asked Danny.

"Just the two of us and a guy at the counter," Lindsay replied. She heard Danny swear under his breath.

A dull ache in her skull began to intensify as she stayed on the phone. With her finger massaging the bridge of her nose, Lindsay moaned in pain.

"Lindsay? Lindsay what's wrong?" asked Danny, already panicking.

"Keep on the line," yelled Mac. "We're 2 minutes away."

Lindsay sighed slightly, "Baby I've got a headache. I'll talk to you later okay? Love you."

Danny swore once again as she hung up.

"We'll get there," Mac yelled through the crowd.

XXXXXX

Lindsay moaned once again as her head continued to throb. Her vision began to blur as she lost her sense of balance.

"I need to get back to the lab," she muttered with an attempt to get up.

"You're not going anywhere," replied Officer Rodriguez, pulling Lindsay back down onto her seat.

"I need to see Danny," Lindsay whispered, her hands clutching her head once again.

"You're not going to see him ever again," Linda replied and without another word, shoved Lindsay onto the floor.

The man by the cashier stood up, "Hey what's going on here?"

Without notice, Linda took out her piece and fired a round, leaving the man was sliding down the wall, a wound in his left shoulder. Linda turned back to Lindsay, one hand clutching her neck tightly and another grabbing a knife from her side.

"He's mine," whispered Linda as Lindsay continued to wriggle herself free.

"Please…" pleaded Lindsay. She would normally have had no problem in defending herself but the pain in her head rendered her muscles useless. With the hand on her neck, her breathing became shallow and erratic as the pressure increased.

"You took him from me. He's mine,"

XXXXXXX

A block away, Flack answered his cell as it began to vibrate. "Go," he answered.

….

"Enter and grab Officer Rodriguez NOW!" yelled Flack, "We're a minute away."

Ending the call, Flack yelled out. "Uniforms are there, they're going in."

Danny could only hope that Lindsay was okay as he ran. His muscles were aching but he wasn't stopping for anything.

XXXXXX

Lindsay felt helpless pinned underneath the small woman. Her eyesight continued to blur as the pain in her head continued to escalate. She knew on some level that she had been drugged, but could do nothing.

Linda laughed as she looked at the woman beneath her. This was the woman Danny Messer fell for? It was pathetic. With a smile, she held the knife directly above Lindsay's heart. There was a loud bang and the next thing she knew she was pinned to the ground by a dozen officers. Yanked up forcibly, Linda was handcuffed as she continued to struggle.

"LET ME GO!"

"You ain't goin' anywhere Rodriguez," replied an Officer.

Danny ran into the small shop, mentally noting the injured man by the wall. His attention however was concentrated on the woman he saw lying still on the ground. His heart shattered. Danny was by her side in mere seconds as he picked her up in his arms, tears prickling his eyes.

"Lindsay, baby, please wake up," he choked out. "Please…"

"We need EMS in here stat!" yelled Flack who was directly on Danny's tail. "She's going to be fine Danny," Flack said, placing a comforting arm on Danny shoulder.

His tears fell as the EMS pulled Lindsay away from him. "Lindsay…" he whispered.

His world fell into silence as Danny took in his surroundings. It seemed as if everything was in slow motion. Medical technicians were running in and out, Lindsay was lying on a stretcher and Linda was struggling against her restraints. Linda. His eyes turned red.

Wordlessly, Danny made his way to her; his eyes puffy from the tears, his breathing hard from the running and his fists clutching in anger.

"Why?" he whispered.

Linda looked up and smiled at him. "She's not good enough for you."

"And you are?" asked Danny in disgust.

Linda nodded. "We could have been together."

"You did this because I fell in love with her? Because you were jealous?" he asked.

"It's for your own good Daniel," Linda replied.

"Don't you dare call me that," said Danny, his voice cracking with restrained anger. "You asked me out. I said no. I'm in love with Lindsay. You think killing her is going to make me run to you?"

Linda nodded.

"You're the last person I would ever want to be with," Danny spat.

Danny's gaze turned sharply back to Lindsay when he heard one of the EMT shout.

"We're losing a heartbeat. She's going into shock."

He turned back to Linda. "If anything happens to her, I'll make sure there's a bullet in your head."

That was the last thing he said before running after Lindsay's stretcher. He climbed into the ambulance after them, his hand clutching hers for dear life. His would be lost and meaningless without her.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Yes, I know that I promised no more cliffys but I couldn't resist. I do apologise. I will however work very hard to write the next chapter as soon as possible. Did anyone even think about Rodriguez? I told you she had a very miniscule part and we've met her before. If you don't remember, she escorted Lindsay home from the first scene. I am dark and twisty._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe._**


	26. Love In Comfort

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who've read and reviewed this fic. It's your support that keeps me going!_**

**_My P.I.C has been claimed by RL for the past few weeks so I'm running beta-less right now. Therefore all mistakes are my own._**

* * *

From the depth of darkness, a light shone as her surroundings brightened. Eyelids fluttering, Lindsay slowly regained consciousness as the white walls and curtains confirmed her location; a hospital room. Lindsay groaned softly, a part of her wishing she had woken up in Danny's arms instead. She felt completely fine save the nagging tiredness that kept dragging her under. The tiredness she could blame on work stress but the admission into hospital was still blurry. 

Lindsay's head turned sharply as a loud thud emanated from behind the door to her left. She could only assume it was the bathroom in her current state of mental haze. Sure enough, a few seconds later the door opened as a barefoot Danny emerged, shirtless, clad in his jeans with a towel draped over his left shoulder. Not paying much attention, he continued to send annoyed glances at the offending room.

Lindsay shifted in her bed slightly, getting Danny's attention. His shocked expression met her bemused one before his infamous grin made its appearance.

"Hey stranger," greeted Danny softly.

Lindsay smiled and replied in kind, "Hey back."

"You gave us quite the scare there Montana." Danny smiled as he perched himself on her bedside, his fingers softly tracing the contours of her face.

"I nearly lost you," he whispered, cupping a cheek with his palm.

Silently Lindsay brought one of her hands to his, her eyes closing for a moment in pleasure.

"But you didn't," replied Lindsay.

Danny smiled. "I'm glad I didn't."

With a sigh, Lindsay let herself sink a little into her pillow, relishing the feel of their hands entwined, the slight dip on the bed acknowledging his presence. A moment passed before a look of concentration and then confusion passed her features.

"Danny," started Lindsay. "What happened?"

Danny brought their entwined hands closer, kissing her knuckles lovingly. "We got her," Danny replied simply.

Lindsay nodded slowly, her eyes drooping once again. "Rodriguez," she whispered.

Noticing her struggle to stay awake, Danny smiled as he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Shh…don't worry about it Montana. Just sleep," he whispered.

A smile graced Lindsay's face at his words as her eyes fluttered open one last time. "Hold me?" she asked in a whisper.

Danny smiled as he wordlessly climbed onto the bed beside her, his arms holding her tight against him. Lindsay's last memory before sleep claimed her was another kiss to her forehead and the words Danny had whispered to her.

"I'll never let you go…"

XXXXXX

His eyelids fluttered open as the sun played against his skin, making Danny wish that the hospital would invest a little more in blinds that actually covered all the windows. Peeping at the clock on the wall, Danny realised that he had fallen asleep with Lindsay, who still curled against him sleeping peacefully.

Silently Danny watched her, every vein in his body reacting to the feel of her skin against hers. With a smile on his face, Danny slowly moved a strand of hair off her face, his fingers gliding across her skin. To him it felt like soft silk. His eyes continued to caress her body without shame. There was no hiding or denying his feelings for her, he'd tried it once and was on the brink of explosion before admitting to himself that he was more than in love with Lindsay Monroe. There were no words that could rightfully describe the way he felt towards her. 'Love' seemed insignificant in comparison.

With a yawn, Danny's thoughts lingered over the events of the past 48 hours. Parts of it were more than he thought he could handle. He had held her before the she was taken away by the EMTs, but in those few seconds, Danny had a taste of the bitter world, the unfairness and the indifference. In those few seconds, Danny Messer truly realised the significance of the woman he was holding in his life. She wasn't a notch in his bedpost and she wasn't a simple girlfriend. No, she was more than all of that. She was his life. He had nearly lost his life.

Danny's eyes reverted back to Lindsay's face, ever so peaceful as she slept. Everyone had offered to stay longer but he knew their exhaustion would eventually win them over. After visiting for a few hours, he had persuaded his team mates into going home to rest. Don and Rebecca had returned to the precinct to finish up the case. It was always hard when one of their own was targeted, and the fact that it was Lindsay did nothing but anger Danny. She had so much good in her but the fact still remained that bad things happened to good people.

In one glance, Danny knew that he could have lost Lindsay, leaving his own life empty and meaningless. At that same time, New York would have continued on, the people not caring less for the lives of two mere people surrounded by millions. It was then that Danny truly learned the value of his life, of his love.

A sigh left Danny's lips as he realised everything else he had yet to do, or rather tell Lindsay. Somewhere in the midst of all the commotion, Lindsay's mom had gotten news of Stan's death and had immediately tried to call Lindsay for information. The fact that she had to resort to calling Danny instead left the woman in a panic after learning that her daughter had been attacked. Somehow, he would have normally found frantic mothers slightly amusing with their dramatics, but this time he understood. He had been that close to losing her as well.

There was also the mention of Lindsay's status as well as Stan's funeral, which after the documents were handled, would be held in Bozeman in a week. Danny knew Lindsay would want to go, in any condition, but secretly he wondered how welcomed he would be in Bozeman this time round.

Linking his fingers with hers, Danny's smile widened as he heard Lindsay sigh, the smile on her face telling him that it was one of happiness. A spark shot through his body as she continued to rub her cheek lazily against his chest, leaving Danny to stifle a groan. It simply amazed him how she could excite him even in her sleep, his mind baffled by the ability all the same.

As Lindsay shifted once again, Danny saw her eyelids fluttering open. This time he greeted her with nothing more than a kiss, one that Lindsay was only too happy to deepen in response. As they parted, Lindsay managed a smirk as they both breathed deeply.

"Well hi to you too," said Lindsay with a sultry grin.

"You're such a minx Montana," replied Danny, mirroring Lindsay's expression.

"Only when you're around," Lindsay laughed as Danny narrowed his eyes.

"Danny?" whispered Lindsay.

"Yeah?" replied Danny.

"Can you put on a shirt?" asked Lindsay.

Danny looked confused before smirking, "You tellin' me you don't like me like this Montana?"

Lindsay grinned but shook her head. "I love you like that and less, but not when people are watching."

Danny was definitely confused. "Huh?"

Trying hard to stifle her laugh, Lindsay nudged her head in the direction of the window, where much to Danny's horror and Lindsay's amusement, a couple of nurses stood, whispering and giggling, obviously enjoying the sight. Danny groaned as he buried his head in Lindsay's hair.

"Aww come on Danny, it's not like you're not used to the attention," Lindsay pointed out.

"That's not funny Montana," he replied gruffly.

"Well to me it is cowboy," said Lindsay.

Danny grunted in annoyance as he rolled over and got up. Picking up the shirt that was hanging on the back of the chair, Danny put it on, sending a glare to the window in the process. Danny smiled at the look of horror on the nurses' faces as they realised they had been caught. Pulling his shirt down, Danny walked back to the bed, happy to slide back in and hold the love of his life.

"I love you," he mumbled, his face still buried in Lindsay's hair.

Lindsay smiled as she turned over, bringing their foreheads together. "I love you too," she whispered in reply.

For a moment they stayed that way, silent save the sound of their breaths and the hum of the air conditioner. Content with simply being together without a word spoken, Lindsay shifted closer as Danny tightened his embrace. Inside, Lindsay knew that what happened had scared him more than he was letting on. She could feel it in his heartbeat. They shared a connection, one that neither one of them could explain but Lindsay knew the inner turmoil her lover now faced inside. She would be going through the same thing if she was in his place. Inside, Lindsay began to wonder if silence was the best thing for them right now.

"Danny?" Lindsay prodded him gently, her hands running over his back muscles, caressing him like only a lover would.

"Hmm?"

"Tell me what happened," she whispered. Distracting his thoughts would be the easiest way for her to find time. Time to make him realise that she was still here in his arms.

"When Mac and Stella processed Stan's hotel room, they found a blonde hair and some marks on the balcony railing," started Danny. The scientific part of the ordeal he could handle. The rest he wasn't sure of.

Taking another breath, Danny pulled her closer as he continued, "Flack ran the 2 connecting rooms and Stella the hair. They both pulled up a match to Linda Rodriguez."

"Before the first murder, I've never even met her. Did I do something to her?" asked Lindsay.

"You did nothing wrong," Danny replied. "She murdered 3 innocent people, for nothing."

"At the café, she said something. That she wanted you back. Did you…"

Catching her train of thought, Danny hastily replied, "What? No. I didn't date her, nor do I ever want to." Danny sighed, "When you went to Montana, I was a wreck. Yep, everything Stella told you was probably true. Flack tried to get me out a few times but it never worked. One of those days, Linda asked me out for drinks and some fun. I declined her offer and spent the night in. You were the only person on my mind. It drove me nuts."

"I really need to write that down," said Lindsay, her grin partially hidden.

"What? Why?" She had the gift of confusing him.

Lindsay shifted so she could see his face clearly. "To add to the list of things I've done," she replied. "I have successfully driven Danny Messer crazy."

"Minx," replied Danny as he captured her lips with his. There were better and more pleasurable ways of getting her to stop talking. He loved it.

A moan escaped her as Danny pulled himself over her, pinning her body down.

"Don't change the subject," said Lindsay in between his kisses.

Danny pulled back, "What subject?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Lindsay gave him a mock-annoyed look, leaving the man on top of her to pout boyishly. "Nice try cowboy, but you're not getting out of it that easily," said Lindsay.

Danny sighed as he collapsed beside her once again, once or twice, wagging his eyebrows at her. Lindsay sighed and decided enough was enough. She pinched him – hard.

Danny yelped as he sat up, rubbing the offended skin with his hand. Turning back to Lindsay, he glared at her. "What was that for? That hurt."

Lindsay sat up too, placing one arm across his back, the other rubbing the offended skin, "Oh I'm sorry," replied Lindsay sweetly. Whether it was a sadistic outburst or just a spur of the moment thing, she enjoyed it, immensely.

"Liar," Danny muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Danny quickly replied.

Placing a gentle kiss on his arm, Lindsay leaned back onto the mattress, pulling Danny down with her. "Danny…please?"

Danny sighed in defeat. She had him wrapped around her finger, amongst other things. He guessed it didn't take her very long to realise it. "Then I called you. Mac, Flack and I ran to the café. Stella and Hawkes went to Linda's apartment."

"Her apartment?" asked Lindsay.

"She'd apparently been stalking the both of us for a while now," replied Danny. "She had pictures of everything…and from what Stella told me, she was there somewhere…in the hallway, when you said you couldn't be with me."

"I broke your heart," muttered Lindsay.

Taking one of her hands in his, and placed a kiss to her knuckles. "You fixed it, and never gave it back," he replied lovingly.

At Lindsay's silence, Danny moved on. "I think you guys shaved off a few years of my life when I arrived at the scene. You were lying on the floor and your breathing was shallow. I'd never been so scared in my life Montana," said Danny, his voice trailing off to a whisper.

"Sorry for scaring you, but as you can see I'm just fine," replied Lindsay.

"I know, and trust me, I know," said Danny, rubbing his arm.

Lindsay chuckled softly, "Then what?"

"You went into shock, your heart stopped beating for nearly 10 seconds. I thought I was going to lose you, but you came back," replied Danny, his fingers lacing themselves in Lindsay's hair. "The Doc said she gave you some kind of animal tranquilizer, but it was too strong and too much. Luckily, there ain't any side-effects."

"Where'd she get tranquilizer from?" asked Lindsay.

"Don said she'd worked a case with the zoo, they'd reported a few boxes missing. I guess we know where they went," replied Danny.

"Wow…Mom's going to freak if she finds out…" said Lindsay, her voice trailing off as Danny flinched at the mention of her mother. "Daniel Messer what aren't you telling me?" she asked, no longer amused.

Danny blushed slightly, "Well, your mom heard about Stan's death and tried to call you," he replied. "She couldn't get through so she called me instead and well…"

"Well...well what?" asked Lindsay.

"I was in, what Flack calls my frantic state, I guess, I kinda loaded everything onto your mom," Danny sheepishly replied.

"So she knows?"

Danny nodded.

"How'd she take it?" asked Lindsay. She really shouldn't have been amused by the situation, but she couldn't help it.

Danny turned a shade of pink as he replied, "I think she was…crying with me at some point."

"You tell her that happened and she cries with you. I tell her that happened and she yells at me. How does that work?"

Danny shrugged as he chuckled, "Your Ma loves me."

"Indeed she does," muttered Lindsay. "She say anything else?"

Danny was silent for a moment as he organised his thoughts.

"Dan?"

"Stan's funeral is at the end of the week, in Bozeman," he replied.

"Oh," was all she could get out.

"I know you want to go," said Danny. Lying on his back, his eyes stayed fixed on the plain white ceiling.

"After all this, can I even fly?" asked Lindsay.

Danny nodded and replied, "I asked the Doc, he said you'll be back to normal by tomorrow."

Lindsay sighed as she turned his head towards her, "Dan, I can go alone if you don't want to."

"No," replied Danny. "I want to, need to. It's my fault."

"No it's not," Lindsay whispered. "Don't you dare blame yourself for what happened, the blame lies with her, not you."

"She wanted me," replied Danny.

"So?"

"I could've –" Danny bit back his reply. There was nothing that he could have done.

"It's not your fault Danny. Okay?"

As their eyes met, Danny smiled slightly as they reached a level of understanding. "Okay," he replied.

Lindsay smiled as she placed a kiss onto his forehead, "We need to arrange it with Mac."

"Already done," replied Danny. "The funeral's on Friday. I thought we'd fly out on Thursday morning and come back on Sunday. Mac's arranged all the shift covers until then."

"You're perfect you know that?" asked Lindsay.

"Hardly," muttered Danny.

Lindsay smiled as she climbed onto of him, letting her weight rest above his, "You might not think so but I do, and that's what matters."

Danny raised an eyebrow, "Oh so now you're the important one?"

"See? Now you're catching on," replied Lindsay.

"Why you…"

Lindsay had no time to react before she burst out in laugher, Danny's hands at her sides tickling her. "Danny!"

"What?" Danny asked with barely feigned innocence.

"Stop it!" Lindsay choked out in between the laughter. "Can't breathe…"

Danny laughed as he let her go, instead wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I love you Lindsay Monroe."

"I love cheesecake," replied Lindsay, yelping when Danny gave her behind a pinch. At his glare, Lindsay relented as she placed her head on his chest.

"I love you too."

XXXXXX

Back at the precinct, Rebecca and Flack sat silently at his desk filling out the case reports. Flack gave his chair to his partner as he sat opposite her. Moments later, Flack leaned back, a smile on his face.

"This case is over," he exclaimed in happiness.

Rebecca grinned at his boyishness. It reminded him of one of her childhood friends when they'd just finished their chores for the day. It never failed to bring a smile to her face.

"You want to go see Linds and Danny again after shift?" asked Rebecca.

Flack shook his head as he leaned forward once again, "Nah, Danny said he wanted to talk to her about something. She'll be discharged tomorrow anyways, we'll stop by sometime."

Rebecca grinned, "Yeah, so what did he want to talk to her about?"

A mischievous grin appeared on Flack's face at the question. "Dunno, don't think he'll want to do much talking though," he replied.

With a laugh, Rebecca merely rolled her eyes. "He's not that shallow," she replied.

"You don't know Danny as well as I do," replied Flack.

Rebecca shook her head, "Correction –I don't know Danny as long as you have. As to who knows him better, I think you underestimate the man."

"What do you mean underestimate?" asked Flack.

"He's got a larger emotional range than you think, going beyond mere carnal needs Don," replied Rebecca.

"Hey, I'm just saying," said Flack, his arms held up in surrender. "I know he's changed. Hell I have too."

"Oh really?" Rebecca sent him a sceptical look. "How?"

"Well for starters, I'm not having 'carnal' thoughts about you getting into my bed," Flack replied.

Rebecca raised her eyebrows before leaving her partner with a sultry smile. "Really? Well too bad then," she replied, grabbing her coat and from her chair and walking out.

Flack sat for a moment, stumped before jumping to his feet. Grabbing his things, he bolted out the door after her. "Wait! I haven't asked you to dinner yet!" Flack called out.

On the other side of the corridor, Rebecca rolled her eyes at his so called 'romantic-side'. She stopped in her tracks and turned around, stifling a laugh as her partner hastily caught up with her.

"You good?" asked Rebecca.

Flack nodded breathlessly, "Yeah I'm good. So how bout it? Dinner with me tonight?"

Rebecca smiled sweetly in response, "Sure."

"I'll pick you up at seven," said Flack.

"Great," replied Rebecca with a nod. "I'll see you later?"

Flack grinned, "You bet." Turning the other direction, Flack began to walk away, ignoring the odd looks he was getting. He turned back as Rebecca called out his name.

"Hey Don?"

"Yeah?" replied Flack.

"Your jacket's inside out."

He felt like an idiot. An idiot on display. Great.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Okay, no angst this time but yes Danny and Lindsay are going back to Montana for Stan's funeral. For future notice, all medical ailments caused by my writing is entire the fault of... someone else but me. Kindly redirect all hospital bills to your own bank. Thank you._**

**_What ever could happen next? I have one more test to prove Danny and Lindsay's love. They've gone so far to prove to each other that there's no one else. What comes next would be the last bridge to cross for them. _****_See profile (news) for more information._**

**_Is anyone ready for a proposal yet? No hints there, I'm just asking!_**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	27. Back To Beginning

**_A/N: Sorry for the lateness, it's been a little crazy at the moment. Hopefully once I've got everything including my muse sorted out, the updates will come._**

**_Thanks so much SallyJetson for beta-ing this chapter for me. Definately opened my eyes with your pointers, thanks for everything._**

**_Of course, many thanks to everyone who've read and reviewed, you're all awesome._**

****

* * *

Stepping out of the cab, Lindsay took a deep breath as her stomach fluttered at the thought of going back to Montana. Granted it wasn't for the most joyous of occasions; it had been almost 6 months since she last saw her parents. For a moment, she savoured the New York air, reluctantly admitting that she was going to miss it. Nonetheless, she was bringing a part of New York with her; a smile gracing her features as Danny slipped his hand into hers, squeezing it tight.

"Ready to go?" he asked with a lazy smile.

"After you, cowboy," Lindsay replied playfully, following intently as Danny led them through the throngs of people scattered across the departure terminal.

After walking by the numerous check-in counters, Danny steered them to the one displaying their flight number on the monitor. Lindsay stood patiently beside him as he checked them in along with their luggage. Having realised that they would only be staying in Bozeman for a few days at best, they had decided to share a suitcase, opting for Lindsay's large Samsonite.

Lindsay grinned at the memory of them packing the previous night; she had laughed at his admittance of never having travelled much in his lifetime. He was a city boy through and through while she was still a country girl at heart. They truly were from two different worlds.

Looking sideways, she noticed how tired he looked. Ever since she had been discharged from the hospital, he had slowly become more withdrawn in her presence. His smile no longer reached his eyes, the glint fading away. She had an inkling of the storm that brewed in him but had no idea as to how to rectify the situation. What ever he was going through, she could only cling to the hope that his former self would shine through again. She needed his laugh; it was a part of him she had fallen in love with.

Kindly thanking the woman at the counter, Danny slipped their boarding passes into his coat pocket and took Lindsay's hand as they made their way to the departure gate. Hand in hand they walked silently, stealing glances at one another like they used to, as if not knowing what to say to each other.

With another 10 minutes until boarding, Lindsay guided Danny over to the waiting area, pulling him down with her as she sat. Looking around the room, it seemed as if not many passengers were headed towards Bozeman at this time of the month.

Turning to look at Danny, Lindsay noticed the slight agitation in his posture. His right hand held hers gently but his left fidgeted on his lap. Lindsay could see the wheels in his head turning, his eyes fixed on an empty spot on the opposite wall. There was no doubt that something was bothering him and the fact that it was affecting his behaviour told Lindsay that it was nothing short of serious.

Squeezing his hand gently, Lindsay looked to him with a questioning glance. "You okay?" she asked softly.

With an attempt at a smile, Danny nodded as he replied, "I'm fine, just a little nervous that's all."

Lindsay shifted a little in her seat and brought her other hand to his arm, rubbing supportively. "Nervous about what?"

"Well I'm meeting your parents. I'm supposed to be nervous aren't I?"

Lindsay cocked an eyebrow as she stared at him. "You've already met them," she pointed out.

Danny chuckled softly. "Yeah, but it was short…" Then muttering to himself, "And that was then…"

"What was that?" asked Lindsay.

Danny stuttered slightly as he replied, "No…nothing Montana."

For the moment, Lindsay let it pass as she nodded. Noticing the gate open, she stood and pulled Danny to his feet. "Come on let's go," she smiled, dragging him along.

They remained silent, their hands linked, until they reached their seats, Danny waiting for her to slip in first.

"You take the window seat," offered Lindsay.

Danny shook his head, motioning for her to go ahead. "You love the window seat."

"Yeah but you need to think."

Danny was a little taken aback as his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

Lindsay smiled innocently, masking her intention. "It means if you don't want me to make a scene, get in and sit down, cowboy."

Danny could only chuckle at her words as he held his hands up in surrender. Slipping into the window seat, he peered out for a moment before turning back to Lindsay who was strapping herself in.

"What did you mean by I needed to think?" His eyes searched hers for answers.

Lindsay sighed as she took hold of his hand. "You know what I meant Danny," she replied softly. "You still feel guilty, don't you?"

"Wouldn't you?" Danny questioned as he turned away.

"Probably," Lindsay admitted. "But you'd be doing what I'm doing."

"Which is?"

"Suppressing the urge to hit you while trying to make you realise that it wasn't your fault," Lindsay replied, her voice firm yet gentle.

Danny smiled wearily as he leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Grazie," he whispered.

Her cheeks reddened as they always did when Danny spoke Italian to her. "For what?" she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder. She had managed to pick up a few words from the time they spent together.

"For everything, for being you," Danny leaned his head against hers, "For loving me."

With the head steward announcing their take-off, there was one thought on Lindsay's mind; that by the time they got back to New York, they would have worked out what ever it was that continued to plague his mind. She had no intention of losing him to his guilt and would not simply watch him crumble from the inside out. They were going to get through it together. That was a promise to Danny as much as it was to herself.

The engine hum grew louder as they sped down the runway, the airport whizzing past the window in a blur. As they climbed in altitude, Lindsay glanced out the window, the terminal building shrinking in the distance.

They'd be back in three days, without the emotional baggage Danny was carrying. She was looking forward to it.

Much of the flight was uneventful as Lindsay stole glances at the man sitting beside her, silently watching as he nodded back and forth between reality and dreams. She knew he hadn't slept much the night before if his thrashing in bed had been any indication. He'd murmured in his sleep, hurt had contorted his face and she would bet money it wasn't sweet dreams. Still, Lindsay knew if she confronted him he'd continue to withdraw but the desire to knock some sense into him was at its peak as she continued to watch him struggle with his exhaustion.

Sleep was a luxury that CSIs cherished with all their hearts. Danny let out a troubled and irritated sigh as he fought the need for sleep while he struggled to stay awake. Sleep meant the nightmares would return and he wasn't prepared to face any questions from Lindsay if he were to reveal something in his sleep. After she had been discharged, the nightmares had begun.

Every night the nightmare would start with the funeral; accusatory looks sent his way from the crowd, daggers pierced his heart at every glance. As the nights progressed, the figures began with murmurs of blame which slowly escalated to yelling and cursing. But lately he'd grown accustomed to it, but recently a heartbroken Lindsay would stand before him. She speaks but he's always jolted awake before he can hear her words.

The cabin bounced from light turbulence, drawing Danny back to the present. Turning his head slightly, he smiled at the sight of Lindsay asleep, her hands still holding on to his, her head nestled between his neck and shoulder. Thoughts of her swarmed endlessly in his mind, never relenting, even for a moment. She was his lifeline, the one he was forever afraid of being severed. Leaning his seat back, Danny closed his eyes, the warmth from their joined hands spreading through his body.

A little over an hour later, Lindsay stirred. Sitting up, she straightened her back and glanced over at Danny who was fast asleep. With a smile, Lindsay gingerly leaned over to place a chaste kiss to his temple.

"Sweet dreams," she whispered, settling back into her seat. Slowly, Danny's lips twitched and curved into a smile, going unnoticed as Lindsay busied herself with a book, having brought her personal favourite; Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. Two hours remained before they would land in Bozeman, all of which she hoped Danny would sleep through.

The hours passed swiftly as Lindsay lost herself in Austen's writing. She looked up in surprise when it was announced they would be landing in 10 minutes. Packing her book back into the small cabin bag Danny had brought along, Lindsay turned to him as a sigh escaped her lips. She hated having to wake him up knowing how tired he was, the exhaustion evident on his face. Deciding to send him back to bed when they arrived, she rubbed his arms gently.

"Danny," she called out softly, the warmth from her hands slowly waking his tired muscles.

Danny groaned softly as he came to. Observing his sleep-deprived face, Lindsay held back a giggle as he looked around in obvious confusion. His vision finally settling on her, Danny yawned.

"Hey sleepyhead," greeted Lindsay as she palmed his cheek lovingly.

Danny merely smiled as he brought his hands to his eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them. "How long was I out?" he asked gruffly, slipping his glasses on.

"A while. You were exhausted," Lindsay replied, handing him a bottle of water which he took gratefully.

Nodding, Danny brought his seat back up and re-positioned his glasses slightly. There was still a part of him that wished he had never agreed to come. As their flight drew nearer to the Bozeman airport, his agitation grew, causing him to ignore the looks of worry from Lindsay.

As the plane touched down and taxied down the runway, Danny let out a sigh as they finally slowed to a stop.

Once they had exited the plane and collected their luggage, Danny flagged down a taxi. He held the door as Lindsay entered the car, following behind her. Lindsay smiled knowingly, loving the simple yet sweet gestures that were unplanned yet which he did for her because they were simply a part of his own upbringing.

Lindsay sighed as the car passed landmarks which she was so familiar with, like the gas station where she and her friends would stop by after class. The buildings, the view, the road, the air, they were all familiar but no longer hers. Bozeman wasn't home anymore; New York was, with Danny.

Turning to the man sitting beside her, Lindsay took a firm grasp of the hand he rested on his hip. She gave him a smile as he turned to look at her, his eyes clouded in worry.

"What are you so afraid of Danny?" she asked softly, her fingers brushing the skin on the back of his hand.

Danny turned away, letting his eyes to roam the countryside view that passed by their window. How could he thrust his own insecurities upon her now? Her friend was murdered and he was supposed to be supporting her, not the other way around. Taking a deep breath, Danny turned back and flashed a simple smile.

"Nothing," he replied. "I'm fine, just tired."

Lindsay nodded. He may be able to read her emotions but she could read his as well. His words were less than truthful and Lindsay was determined to find out why. Inside, she knew that whatever Danny was hiding, it wasn't intended to hurt her.

As the taxi turned into the Monroe family ranch, Danny's anxiety diminished somewhat as the memories of his previous visit flooded his mind. The last time he was here, he had come with a purpose; to get Lindsay back. But he no longer had that to hold on to; now he merely had the hand of the woman he loved.

Pulling up to the main house, Danny and Lindsay got out and gathered their luggage. Admiring her childhood home, Lindsay stood patiently as Danny paid the cab driver, brought back to the present as his arms encircled her. She turned to face him, her arms around his waist.

"You okay honey?" Lindsay asked with a hand rubbing his back soothingly. She could feel the tension seep away from his muscles beneath her touch. Looking up, she found him staring intently at her.

"What did I do to deserve you?" he whispered.

"You make great lasagne," replied Lindsay with a giggle, tilting her head to place a gentle kiss to his lips. Leaning her head against his chest, she stayed silent for moment, her fingers lazily drawing invisible tattoos on his back.

"You merely loved me. That's all," whispered Lindsay, tightening her embrace.

"Didn't do much then," replied Danny, his mood clearing slightly.

"More than anyone ever has," corrected Lindsay.

For a moment they stood in each other's arms, fitting together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. Noticing the setting sun, Lindsay smiled into Danny's chest.

"Ready to go in? I'm sure Mom's got dinner just about ready." Lindsay giggled as she heard the unmistakeable rumble of Danny's belly.

"Food sounds good," replied Danny with a smirk as he pulled away. Taking Lindsay's hand in his, they turned to the steps before stopping dead in their tracks.

From the porch, Caroline and Jim Monroe looked on with obvious interest. Caroline merely smiled lovingly at the couple, Jim managing a smirk as he took in their blushes.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_This chapter was a bit serious, but I needed the little twist for what's coming up ahead. Bear with me for a while._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	28. A Glimpse of What Lay Beneath

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who continues to support this fic time and time again._**

**_Another big thank you to Sally Jetson for beta-ing this chapter._**

* * *

Walking up to the elderly couple, Danny stood back as Lindsay engulfed her mother in a warm hug. 

"I missed you so much," Caroline whispered, a grateful smile appearing on her aging visage.

Tightening her embrace, Lindsay whispered her own reply, "I missed you too, Mom."

All of a sudden, Danny felt out of place as he watched the family share their re-union together in silence. A smile graced his face as Lindsay pulled away from Caroline and turned to her father, wrapping her arms around the stout man. Jim Monroe wasn't overly tall, around the same height as Danny but more solid while his wife was the spitting image of her daughter. Her hazel eyes shone brightly and the few wrinkles on her face only accentuated her motherly features.

Danny returned from his thoughts as Caroline wordlessly pulled him into a hug. After the initial shock quickly faded, Danny smiled as he wrapped his own arms around the petite woman and returned the hug.

"It's good to see you again Caroline." The last time Danny had called her Mrs Monroe, it had ended in a stern talk about why he was to only call her Caroline, and when the time came, Ma, causing Danny to turn red before Lindsay dragged him out of the kitchen while shooting him apologetic looks.

Danny blushed as Caroline kissed his cheek. "You've gotten thin Danny, have you been eating?" He could sense the motherly instinct coming through to his heart, suddenly making him miss his own mother.

"Yeah I have." Danny chuckled as he kissed her cheek and watched her eyes light up. "It's just been a hard few weeks, that's all," he added softly.

Caroline nodded in understanding as she moved aside to stand beside Lindsay, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as Danny turned to Jim, holding out his hand.

"Good to see you again, Danny," greeted Jim as he took Danny's hand and pulled the younger man in for a hug.

"I…it's good to see you too Jim," replied Danny, a little dazed.

Watching the three of them stand around in silence, Caroline moved forward to take Danny's hand, pulling him and Lindsay into the house. "Come on, let's get inside."

Danny smiled as he entered the familiar home, Lindsay's home. He took in the green walls and aged furniture silently as Caroline pulled them into the living room before walking through into the kitchen in a fuss. The décor was old yet homey and along with the memories that were hung on the walls, it added character to the place. His eyes resting on the living room sofa caused his smile to grow at the memory that the particular piece held for him; it was where he had kissed the love of his life for the very first time. He had held her tight, promising himself that he would never let her go again. The memory was still fresh in his mind as though it had only happened yesterday because he envisioned the scene every time he held her in his arms, making sure that it never faded from memory.

Turning to her side, Lindsay noticed Danny stare with a look of happiness at something across the room. She smiled as her gaze followed his, slipping her hands into his.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lindsay smiled as Danny turned to her, the Messer grin making its timely appearance as his eyes sparkled mischievously.

"They're worth more than a penny Montana; you're in them." With a quick kiss to her lips, he pulled her close.

Lindsay's smile widened as she could see traces of 'her Danny' beginning to break through. She could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes and laughed. "Remembering old memories?"

"You could say that," replied Danny as his hands travelled up and down her arm. For a moment they stood silent as Danny contemplated a thought, "How 'bout a repeat performance, Montana?"

Lindsay pulled away and stared at him with a look of disbelief. "You're feeling frisky at this hour?"

With a grin, Danny's hands continued to travel down south as he leaned to whisper into her ear, "I'm always frisky when you're around, Montana."

"What are you, a hormonal teenager again?"

"Mmm…I'm not that old," replied Danny with a growl.

Giggling softly, Lindsay swatted his hands away as she leaned in for another kiss.

They could hear Caroline and Jim chatting animatedly in the kitchen while finishing up dinner. Thankful for the time they had been given to settle in, Lindsay took a hold of Danny's hands, "Come on," she invited as she guided him to her bedroom.

"I know the way, Montana." Danny grinned as he followed her up the stairs carrying their suitcase.

Entering the room, Lindsay sighed as she collapsed on the bed. Without a word, her eyes followed him as he placed their suitcase in the corner and shut the door. She smiled as he approached and lay beside her.

Rolling himself on top of Lindsay, Danny groaned as she caught his lips, feeling incredibly naughty for making out with her under her parent's roof, not that they hadn't done it before. He smiled inwardly as she kissed him back harder, his senses catching fire as the passion between them grew. He growled as his lips were attacked, their tongues dancing intimately and the heat between their bodies intensifying. Before the flame could escalate any further, Lindsay pulled away, leaving Danny groaning in protest.

Looking up, Lindsay smiled as she cupped his cheek, her heart warming as he tilted his head gently to kiss her open palm. Guiding him to lie beside her, she sighed as they wrapped their arms around each other, his lips grazing her neck.

"There you are," she whispered against his ears. "I missed this Danny." Lindsay immediately regretted her words as she felt him tense in her arms.

"Lindsay…" Danny trailed off as he realised he had no idea what to tell her, at least anything that didn't make him seem like the insecure idiot he thought he was. Propping himself up with his arms, he simply watched her as she trailed a finger from his forehead down his nose to rest on his lips.

"Talk to me Dan, what's wrong?"

"Lindsay I…" started Danny but flinched as Jim's booming voice rang throughout the house.

"Danny, Linds, Dinner!"

With a groan, Danny let himself collapse beside Lindsay, her face buried in the crook of his neck. He felt her smile against his skin, leaving it tingling at the touch of her warm lips. Suddenly the thought of dinner didn't seem so appealing to him anymore.

Attempting to get up, Lindsay gave Danny a look as he stopped her and pulled her back to him once again.

"I thought you were hungry, we can talk later."

Danny shook his head as he held her. "You're more important to me," he whispered.

Trapped beneath his body, Lindsay had no other choice. She didn't want to push him to open up, but this turnaround of events suited her just the same. Palming his cheek, Lindsay smiled as she felt the roughness of his stubble beneath her skin. As her eyes travelled across his face, they locked onto his own, peering into its depths.

With a sigh, Danny sat up and turned, letting his feet dangle off the edge of the mattress. Running his fingers through his hair in frustration, he groaned softly. He needed to tell her, for her sake as well as his. Letting his head fall into his hands, his elbows rested on his knees. He wasn't used to this; the need for someone, the insecurity, the worry. It scared the hell out of him but the idea of losing Lindsay went beyond fear; it would kill him.

Sensing the trouble Danny was having, Lindsay got up onto her knees and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, whispering words of support into his ear. She smiled as Danny relaxed in her arms and took her hands in his.

"I feel like a nervous wreck," said Danny.

Lindsay tightened her hold on him. "Why?"

With a sigh, he began to explain the nightmare to her; the blames, the cursing and the yelling. "Everyone blames me…you blame me."

Placing a kiss on the side of his neck, Lindsay leaned her head against his, her chin resting on his shoulder. "But I don't."

Lindsay heard him sigh again as her hands travelled across his chest. "This is more than just you being blamed isn't it?" At his nod, she moved beside him, turning his head to face her. "What is it Danny?"

"I'm scared of losing you," he whispered, his eyes searching hers for some kind of understanding. "I'm not used to needing someone so much Lindsay. It scares the hell out of me that you can break me into a million pieces in a heartbeat if you left."

Lindsay took a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "How do you think I feel?" she asked. "All I hear lab techs talk about is 'when' we break up, I hear things about the string of women you went out with, how you're a player, a heartbreaker." She paused to take a breath and continued with a lowered voice, "…but then I remember one thing; I love you, more than anything and I don't care anymore what people say because I know you love me too."

With a smile, he pulled her close and whispered his reply against her neck, "More than you know, more than I can say."

Leaning forward, she pushed him back down onto the bed and rolled over him. "I'm not letting you go for anything," she murmured against his lips.

His reply was lost to pleasure as the happiness he felt within settled around his heart, his mind uttering one thought.

"Neither am I."

XXXXXX

Standing before her full-length mirror, Rebecca fidgeted with her hair in slight annoyance as it refused to stay up. It had been by Flack's invitation that she was to dress up that night; her nagging to extract their destination from him had come up with nothing.

Sighing in defeat, she let her hands fall to her hips, striking a sultry pose.

"Wow." Adam wolf-whistled from the doorway and smirked as Rebecca turned a bright red in embarrassment.

"You weren't supposed to see that," Rebecca muttered as she began picking her clothes off the floor and flinging them on her bed.

"What happened in here?" asked Adam, taking in the room's dishevelled state.

Rebecca replied with a blush, "I couldn't find anything to wear."

Adam gave her a look that spoke millions.

Noticing his face, Rebecca walked up to him and poked him on the chest with every word, "I do remember your room being in a similar state to mine when you were going out on a date."

"Yeah but that's because I was looking for something and I couldn't find it!" Adam replied defensively. "Your case is completely different."

Rebecca scoffed as she walked back to the mirror and straightened out her dress. It was a strapless full length gown in dynamite red, hugging her curves in all the right places. With the mix of simplicity and elegance, the dress was perfect in her eyes. She had her hair pinned up with a few curls hanging loosely.

She turned to Adam nervously. "How do I look?" Her eyes pleaded with him for the truth.

Adam smiled as he walked up to her and took her hands in his. "You look beautiful, Becky," he replied and pulled her in for a hug.

Letting loose a grateful sigh, Rebecca sank slightly into his arms, glad to have someone like him in her life. "Thanks Adam," she replied and took a step back.

"No problem."

Going back to fiddling with her hair, Rebecca froze as the doorbell rang. "Shoes!" she exclaimed. Swivelling sharply, she sent a pleading look at Adam who only waved her off.

"Alright, alright, I'll fend him off for a bit."

"Thank you," came Rebecca's reply as she felt around under the bed for her shoes.

Chuckling all the way to the door, Adam unlocked it and opened to find an equally nervous Flack on the other side.

"Hey man," Flack croaked out, a tad shocked at the roughness of his own voice.

Adam smiled as he motioned the taller detective in, "Hey, come on in. Rebecca will be out in a bit."

"Thanks," Flack replied as he stepped into the apartment.

Closing the door behind him, Adam wandered into the kitchen. "Want a drink?"

"No thanks," replied Flack, awkwardly standing in the middle of the room.

After a bit of puttering, Adam came out with a beer in hand and a bag of crisps in the other. "Sit down man," he gestured to the couch. Placing the items on the coffee table, he turned to Flack. "It'll be a while; she's rooting around under the bed for her shoes."

Whatever response Flack was going to make was cut off by amusement as he watched a cushion collide with the side of Adam's head.

"Hey! What was that for?" Adam yelped.

Slipping out from her room, Rebecca merely smiled sweetly and replied, "Sibling love."

With a grunt, Adam sat down and started flipping through the channels. "At least it wasn't a shoe," he muttered.

Restraining a chuckle, Flack turned to Rebecca, his jaw elegantly dropping, waiting to be unhinged. Silently, she walked up to him and reached up to gently close his mouth.

With a giggle, Rebecca stood back and admired her date for the first time tonight. "How do I look?" she asked.

Clearly at a loss for words, Flack repeatedly tried to recall the vocabulary list he had accumulated over the years. Nothing came to him. "Y…you look…wow!"

"Thanks," Rebecca blushed. "You don't look so bad either." She took in the suit and black bow-tie with a lick of the lips.

Before he could respond, Adam called out from the couch. "Will you two just go already? You're making too much noise!"

Shaking his head in amusement, Flack turned to Rebecca and offered her his arm. "Ready to go?"

"You bet," Rebecca replied and slipping her arms through his. "Bye Adam!" she called out, chuckling at his response.

"Go away!"

XXXXXX

Jim and Caroline looked up from their places at the table to see Lindsay coming down the stairs with a smile on her face, Danny being pulled along behind her.

"Nice of you both to join us," Jim spoke up as the two took their places.

"We were talking about something," replied Lindsay nonchalantly.

Jim nodded in mocking belief and shared a glance with his wife, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Must have been some talk if Danny here comes out with a hickey."

Choking on his food, Danny pounded his chest as Lindsay's hand rubbed his back. Giving her a look of horror, it turned to confusion as Jim burst into laughter from across the table.

"Daddy!" Lindsay chastised. She turned to Caroline who merely shrugged innocently.

"I'm sorry honey," said Jim in between the chuckles. "I couldn't help it."

Calming down, Danny managed a weary grin which sent Jim off on another bout. "You should have seen your face Danny."

Danny chuckled as Lindsay continued to send him apologetic looks. "It's okay," he mouthed and laid his hand on her hip, squeezing gently.

Teasing and laughter flew back and forth across the table as the night progressed. Eventually Lindsay found herself scooting her chair closer to Danny's, his arm around her shoulder, mirroring Caroline and Jim. The laugher continued on but eventually died out as they realised what would dawn on them tomorrow.

Stan's death brought forth mixed emotions, and while no one blamed Danny for it, there was still the seed of self accountability that had been planted which insidiously continued to grow.

Lindsay knew that Danny was weary of the burden he carried, but she realized when she had seen the glimmer in his eyes earlier that she was getting through to him, even if it was only a baby step, it provided her with enough determination to bring him back. It wasn't his fault, it never had been and it never will be.

XXXXXX

With the feeling of euphoria still coursing through her body, Rebecca exited the elevator in silence, her head leaning against Flack's shoulder, her face nothing but smiles.

"Don?"

"Hmm?" Flack turned to look at the woman curled in his arms.

"Thank you for tonight. It was the best nights of my life. I've always wanted to watch the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway."

Flack chuckled softly as he bent to place a kiss to her temple. "I figured you'd like it."

As they continued to walk slowly in silence, Rebecca spoke up once again. "How much did you have to pay him?"

Flack stopped in his tracks and looked down to her. "Who?"

"Adam," Rebecca replied simply.

"Are you insinuating I had help?"

Rebecca merely smiled. "How much?"

With a sigh, he hung his head as they resumed walking back to her apartment, slowly passing the other doors. "Had to promise him we'd never have sex on his leather couch."

Rebecca giggled softly against his sleeve before replying as they reached her door, "Too bad you have to keep your word, what with us being detectives and all."

Flack chuckled as he leaned in conspiratorially. "I wasn't on duty at the time," he whispered, leaving Rebecca laughing.

Calming down slightly, Rebecca leaned into and kissed him, revelling in the softness of his lips. "Thank you, for everything."

"My pleasure," Flack replied as he pulled her in one last time.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Thanks for reading,_**

**_Messermonroe_**


	29. The Part He Plays

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and m_****_any more thanks to Sally Jetson for the beta._**

****

* * *

Danny had never known contentment such as the way he felt with Lindsay's body entwined around his like the classical Greek statues. They lay together in silence, save their raging breaths, their arms and legs circling each other's sweat covered body as if afraid to ever let go.

Pulling back, his eyes traced the contours of her face whose pleasant glow was accentuated by the moonlight that streamed through the half-opened blinds. In darkness or light, Danny thought she could never be any more beautiful than the way she was now; tangled with him like the lifeline that she was. With Lindsay's body against his chest, Danny shivered slightly as a steady breeze flowed into the room through the open window opposite the door. Managing to part from her for a moment, he pulled a thin sheet over their exposed bodies before settling back into her arms. Wrapping his own around his love, a smile fluttered across his face as he felt her snuggle into his chest.

"I love you Lindsay," he whispered without a second thought. It never needed one. His heart was hers and he never wanted it back.

Lifting her head gently, Lindsay gave him a heart-melting smile. "I love you too," she whispered before replacing her head against his chest. With her eyes closed, she shivered as Danny's lips met the skin of her neck, gently kissing and sucking like there was nothing else he'd rather do. Pulling back, Danny smiled boyishly at the mark he'd left, the thrill running through him like the first time he'd ever written his name on his baseball bat; the first he'd ever owned.

Wordlessly, Lindsay placed a hand on his chest, above his heart. She could feel the rapid beat beneath her skin, the sensation travelling up her arm and across her body, settling around her heart as though they were resonating together as one. She leaned closer, replacing her hands with her lips, to place gentle kisses against his chest. They were one, in every way short of marriage. She knew he was as much a part of her as she was a part of him. Their relationship was symbiotic; each unable to imagine life without the other. To her the thought was frightening, exhilarating and welcoming all at the same time.

Feeling his fingers slow to a stop, Lindsay knew he was succumbing to sleep, verified by his yawn through half-lidded eyes. "You all worn out, cowboy?" She felt the rumble through his chest as he chuckled.

"You're amazing," Danny replied with another yawn. Tightening his embrace, he simply held her in silence, marvelling at how perfectly their bodies fit, as though each was made for the other.

'That was corny,' he thought to himself, suppressing the chuckle that threatened to escape.

Silence ensued as their breathing slowly calmed, their bodies overwhelmed by exhaustion. Together they fell into a peaceful slumber, the contentment visible on their faces, mirroring each other in sleep.

Standing in his place beside Lindsay, Danny's eyes remained glued to the coffin, plain and undecorated, made from wood on the verge of rotting. There was nowhere else to set his gaze save the grass that surrounded them. Everywhere around him, he could feel the stares boring into his skin. Their eyes showed anguish, anger and blame. He had no strength to look up. He noticed even Lindsay had deserted his side, favouring her father's embrace to his, never even once acknowledging his presence.

He stood alone.

Circled by the looks of condemnation, it drove off any glimmer of strength he had left. The coffin creaked as it descended into the ground before falling abruptly to the bottom with a loud thud; the minister's words slowly drowning in its noise. As the hole was filled, it seemed the world had stopped to bare witness to his agony. The murmuring began as the guests around him whispered to each other, fingers pointing at him, looks of disgust appearing here and there. He couldn't bear to watch them, instead his gaze fluttered to their feet, but even they seemed to mock him in criticism.

Tentatively, Danny stepped back. He could feel them, hear them, but he could not watch them, his resolve dwindling down to nothingness. The voices followed him, like a pack of wolves circling an innocent boy. Yet it was different. He wasn't innocent – was he? Danny turned to his left where Lindsay stood, Caroline's and Jim's arms wrapped around her, protecting her from him. They conveyed everything that needn't be said. He watched them whisper into her ears, her eyes widening in understanding before she stepped free from their arms, gliding her way towards him. He read her face, searching for the ounce of security he desperately needed to cling to at that moment, but found nothing. Her face was apathetic. Standing before him, she took his hands in hers; they were cold, ice cold. As her fingers stroked the skin on the back of his hand, Danny finally found his voice in the midst of all the fear and confusion.

"You said no one would blame me."

"But they do." Her voice echoed the emptiness he saw in her eyes. "It's your fault Danny, I can see that now."

"Wh…What do you mean?" Chills ran through his spine. Whatever warmth they once shared was gone. What remained was a distant cold, a whimper of what it used to be.

Lindsay smiled, but like everything else about her, there was nothing behind it. "This would never have happened if you hadn't seduced me Danny."

"But I…I didn't!" replied Danny, his heart began to beat rapidly, his hands beginning to tremble.

Lindsay nodded, her eyes glued to his without as much as a blink. "Yes you did Danny. You seduced me; you made me sleep with you. And now, it's over."

His eyes frantically searched her visage for some kind of joke, some contrast to the emptiness of the person that stood before him. "You c…can't. Lindsay I love you." His voice trembled down to a whimper.

"But I don't love you."

His eyes widened as the familiar prickle behind his eyes returned, but he resisted. "You don't mean that."

"I've never loved you Danny. You were just a great lay."

"You don't mean that." His voice dwindled to nothing more than a whisper as he fell to his knees. His resolve broke, the floodgates collapsed as the tears flowed freely from his eyes. "Please don't go."

"Goodbye Danny." Her words echoed in his mind, plaguing his very essence, mocking his very being. Through the tears he could see her retreat, slowly slipping into the throng of people that advanced towards him. He scrambled to his feet, tripping over a headstone in the process, landing on the dirt. He could still see her, slipping back and forth between the bodies as they drew closer.

"Goodbye Danny." The words echoed in his mind once again.

His eyes clenched in pain and he called out her name one last time.

"Lindsay!" Danny sat up, his chest heaved as he struggled to control his rapid breathing. He could feel the rivulets slide down the side of his face; his entire body was covered in sweat. Instinctively his hands flew to Lindsay's side of the bed, alarmed that it was empty. His eyes searched for her frantically, his sight blurred without his glasses so that all he could make out were plays of moonlight against various objects scattered throughout the room. His heartbeat raised once again, his senses on overdrive. He jumped as the door creaked open but instantly relaxed as he heard her voice.

"Danny?"

"Lindsay?" He was still breathing hard from the nightmare.

Closing the door, she slipped out of her robe and climbed in beside him. "Baby what's wrong?"

He shook his head and turned to her. His eyes still revealing the hurricane he had just gone through. "N…Nothing. Just a nightmare."

Lindsay cradled his face with her hands as her eyes sought his. She could see the unshed tears, the pain and the fear through his eyes.

"Was it the same one?"

At Danny's nod, she guided him down to his pillow, his eyes never leaving her. "I'm right here," she whispered. Lying down beside him, she wrapped her arms around him as best she could, letting her warmth seep into his body. She was there with him; he needed to know that, consciously and subconsciously.

"You left me," he muttered simply.

Running one hand through his hair, she leaned in to place a soft kiss against his forehead and then his lips. "It was just a nightmare Dan, I'm right here."

"You said you never loved me," he choked out. His eyes, still trained on hers, continued to grasp at the love she gave. Her eyes radiated life, nothing like the deep emptiness he had seen in his dreams. He shut his eyes, hoping that when he re-opened them, she would still be there, that his mind wasn't simply playing tricks on him again. He was sick of it. As he opened his eyes, he saw her leaning on her elbows, gazing down at him with an almost annoyed look. "What?"

"Did you believe her?" She needed him to see past his clouded mind into her eyes. There was no chance in hell that she would ever utter those words to him.

"I, I don't know. At first I didn't, and then…"

She held him at arm's length, their gaze met again. "Look at me, what do you see?"

Danny pondered on his answer for a moment, his previous state of unrest somehow dissipating by the second. "Really dark blobs and some light ones somewhere over there," he replied with a grin. His arms waved around in the general direction of the window.

Taking a deep breath, Lindsay whacked him on the head before climbing over to get his glasses that were lying on the side table. Handing them to him, she cocked an eyebrow as he grinned at her. "Better?"

Danny nodded and rubbed the offended spot on his head. "Yeah you didn't have to hit me. What was that for anyway?"

"For being a smartass that's what." Lindsay rolled her eyes, but even by moonlight she doubted that Danny saw it. "You know for someone who's just had a nightmare, you seem rather normal."

"What'dya mean normal?"

"Cocky, Annoying…Horny" She counted them off with her fingers, leaving Danny with a bemused look. "Hmm?"

Danny shrugged in response, "It just kinda…went away with you here."

Lindsay smiled as she snuggled closer, feeling his heartbeat slowly calm. "I'm not going anywhere Danny, no matter what anyone says."

Wrapping his arms around her, Danny smiled into her hair, savouring her sweet and spicy scent. "I love you, Lindsay."

"I love you too, baby."

Still spooned against each other, they laid in companionable silence. Making sure Lindsay was sound asleep; he silently extracted himself from her arms. He leaned in to place a kiss to her forehead before walking around to find some clothes. Rooting through the items of clothing littering the floor, he found a pair of sweat pants and a cotton t-shirt and slipped them on before making his way downstairs to the kitchen.

Flipping on the lights, Danny puttered about to make himself a cup of coffee. He collected the items with ease as though it was his own home, aware of where everything was. It was partially the CSI in him, making a mental note every time Caroline took out a mug or handed him a plate. That and ever since he had cooked dinner for the Monroe's the first time he had been here, Caroline had declared him welcomed to her kitchen at any time. With a steaming mug in hand, Danny pulled out a stool and perched himself next to the kitchen counter. Letting out a breath, he eyes stared into the mug, the swirling hot liquid resembling his current state of mind. His thoughts continued to swirl but somewhere along the line, his fear had moved beyond mere insecurity, leaving him more afraid of what it all meant than anything else.

Danny knew that he was a stranger to commitment, and this whole ordeal was un-chartered territory for him. He had admitted that to himself a thousand times before now, yet he found himself still repeating the thought, as though using it for an excuse for his behaviour. In part it was true, yet there was more of him that was afraid of admitting a fact that had passed through his mind on more than one occasion. The fact was and still remained that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Lindsay. But was he ready? Was he even contemplating asking Lindsay to marry him? He chuckled as a memory that seemed so distant fluttered by, the encounter with his boss growing clearer by the second as he continued to ponder the words they exchanged. He'd argued that love would never come to him and yet here he was sitting in the kitchen of his girlfriend's parents contemplating asking her to marry him. It was a good thing he had never bet on it. He had been wrong about love, so naturally he was probably wrong about marriage too. But the thought didn't quell his fear. Marriages around him broke-down to pieces; he had cases of spouse abuse and murder and all of it did nothing to help him. There was still one more beacon of hope in his heart; his own parents who had been together for the better part of 50 years. He knew better than anyone how much they loved each other, how much they loved him. It struck him that they had never actually met Lindsay. He had told them about her of course, bringing his mother to tears when he had spoken the words that he had never uttered to any other woman but herself; he loved her.

Smiling at the thought, he gingerly took a sip at his coffee, surprised that it had turned cold. His eyes flickered to the newspaper that laid open to his left, a picture of a father holding a baby in his arms. Maybe one day that would be him, cradling his own child. The thought didn't scare him as much as he thought it would. His smile widened.

A part of him felt guilty for his pretence earlier in the bedroom; it had been easy enough for him to ease Lindsay's mind from his nightmare. He couldn't talk to her, not when his thoughts were still scattered, unable to make heads or tails of his feelings. He didn't want her to worry so much. He chuckled at the game of pass the parcel that had become a routine of passing the worry back and forth. He wondered what would happen if they were to lose contact with each other. He knew that he'd be a right mess without her; would she be one without him?

Danny's thoughts were interrupted as the kitchen light brightened, leaving him blinking for a moment before turning to see Caroline standing at the doorway, her hand on the dimmer. He offered her a sheepish smile before turning back to his coffee.

"There's always something wrong when someone in this house is awake before me," she said softly. "What's wrong dear?"

"Don't worry about it," replied Danny. "I couldn't sleep, that's all."

Caroline nodded as she moved into the kitchen, puttering about with dishes and other items. "Your coffee still warm?" She didn't turn to him as she continued to store the dry dishes.

Danny shook his head, "Gotten cold."

Finally she turned to him, her brows raised. "How long have you been down here?"

Shrugging, Danny swirled his drink with the spoon. "A few hours I guess."

Without a word, she walked over to the counter and took his cup from him. The cup was still fairly full considering the fact he'd been down here a while. Moving to warm his cup, Caroline turned back to Danny as she waited. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"No, not really." He didn't make eye contact, his gaze locked on his fiddling fingers.

There was no doubt that there was an air of nervousness around him, and as a mother, Caroline didn't skip a beat in noticing it. "What's wrong Danny? You can talk to me."

"You're her mom, I can't." His face showed more confusion and there was an air of pleading in his voice, as though trying to coax Caroline into making him talk.

"So what? Then don't think of me as Lindsay's mother. I'm just here to help Danny," Caroline gently pushed, her voice warm and welcoming.

Danny remained silent as he pondered the offer. A fraction of him wanted to talk, to share his thoughts, to get an insight into what on earth was going on in his mind, but there was a part of him that refused to open up. That part had usually won, leaving him a victim to the issue of trust. But maybe it was time to shed light on that particular fear. As much as he knew Lindsay loved him, a fraction of his mind questioned how long she was willing to put up with his current state. She had noticed the difference in his mood, his action and his speech, and it was only a matter of time before it would drive her away. He couldn't let that happen; he needed her too much.

With a sigh, he took the plunge. "I keep getting these nightmares, and I don't know why." Danny looked up, jumping slightly to see Caroline perched across from him with an understanding smile.

"What happens?"

Losing eye contact again, Danny fought with himself for a moment, trying to find the exact words. "I lose her," he whispered.

"How?" Caroline now had no doubt that he really loved her if even the mere thought of losing her could reduce him to this.

"She leaves," Danny replied, his voice laden with sadness which thickened his accent.

Caroline stood up and moved to retrieve Danny's coffee, grabbing a cup for herself along the way. Returning to her seat, she placed his cup between his hands, grasping one of them tightly. "You really love her don't you?" It was more of an understanding than a question. At Danny's nod, she squeezed his hand, causing him to finally look up at her. "Then she deserves every ounce of the love you have to give Danny."

Danny gave her a weary smile which soon turned to frustration as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Then why do I keep getting these stupid nightmares?"

Caroline gave his hand another comforting squeeze. "I think…it's so _you_ realise how much you love her yourself."

"I know how much I love her!" His response was quick, the words escaping his mouth without a second thought. He knew how much he loved her; there was no question of that. Was there?

"Do you?"

His eyes turned confident like a boy convincing his parents of a truth. "Yes I do."

"How much do you love her?" she questioned.

His gaze turned into a glare as if she didn't believe him. How could she not? Before he could think otherwise, the words stumbled from his mouth, "Enough that I want to spend the rest of my life with her!" His eyes widened in shock at the perceptive smile that had crept onto Caroline's face.

In light of her smile, the man before her continued to stumble over his words. "Maybe now you know," whispered Caroline.

Nodding absentmindedly, Danny gulped as his eyes searched Caroline's face for any notion of anger. "I…I don't think I'm ready for that yet," he stuttered, a blush quickly forming on his cheeks, giving away his nervousness. "I came here for Lindsay, and instead I'm sitting here moping like an ass. She's going to realise one day what an idiot I really am."

Caroline could see that Danny was losing the battle he had started with himself. There was no argument. Their love was there for them to share, whatever insecurity he had. "If I know my daughter half as well as I know I do, I'd say she's already figured that out and fallen for you all over again, Danny."

"Huh?" That confused him; his mind was already filled with images of her, and the accompanying fluttering from his stomach did nothing to keep his head level. "What do you mean by that?"

"Mother-daughter secret my dear." Getting off the stool, she rounded the table, pulling him off his chair and into a brief hug. "It's still early. Why don't you go upstairs and try to get some sleep? Lindsay's going to worry if she wakes up alone."

"Yeah, thanks." Danny walked to the door, turning back just as he reached it. With a genuine smile he said, "Thanks Caroline, for everything."

"Anytime dear." Caroline had to agree with her daughter when she had told her that Danny's smile was infectious. With his smile mirrored on her face, she set about with the day's chores as she heard him bound up the stairs. On the day she had given birth to Lindsay, she had made a promise to herself that no man would ever deserve her daughter. That promise had lain unbroken until today.

XXXXXX

Stepping into the room, Danny flinched as the door creaked slightly. His eyes set on nothing but the woman lying sweetly in her bed, he quietly padded his way to his side of the bed, taking a breath before stripping down and sliding in under the covers.

A contented sigh left his lips as Lindsay's body fitted perfectly against his, his arms wrapped around her as if protecting a precious treasure. With her back spooned up against his chest, Danny buried his face in her hair which cascaded down over her shoulders like a waterfall. A finger traced the surface of her arm, down her waist and over her hips, and with each curve he marvelled as how he could ever deserve someone as beautiful as her, as passionate, as pure, as loving. Whatever the reason, he was done questioning. He was going to embrace it and come hell or high water, he wasn't letting go, ever.

XXXXXX

In his place by her side, Danny stood silent, his eyes trailing the casket as it was slowly lowered into the ground. The scene was every bit similar to him yet different. Gone was the rotten coffin that was unceremoniously dropped into the hole, replaced by a casket that was covered by flowers of sorts, each holding the giver's memories and prayers.

As his gaze swept across the crowd, he sighed in relief. There were no looks of blame and anger, only the sadness that was reflected in the watery eyes of Stan's friends and family. He had no duty in this procession save the support he was meant to give to the woman beside him. That was his part to play.

With her back straight and her head held high, Lindsay stood with every ounce of strength she could muster. But it simply wasn't enough. Before her, her friend and pseudo-brother laid still in his casket, his body lowered to the ground, bit by bit, taunting her to relive every memory of him that she could before the time was up. She remembered playing in the fields with him; the rides he gave her through the long summer days. His smile had been contagious, just like Danny's. His blue eyes had always chased away every inch of her nightmares, just like Danny's. There were similarities, but their differences set them apart. He had helped her realise the life she would be throwing away without Danny. He had helped shape the life she led today, the same life that had led her to Danny, and for that, there were no words that could describe her gratefulness for everything he had done. A tear escaped her eye, sliding down her cheek.

Brushing back the tear with his finger, Danny pulled her to him, her head resting against the comfort of his chest before the tears began to flow with no restraint. His arms encircled her body as his chin came to rest gently against her head.

Through her tears, he held her.

* * *

**_A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**


	30. The Price For Caring

**_A/N: A thousand apologies for my absence. User profile updated._**

**_Once again, many thanks to Sally Jetson for the beta._**

* * *

He was tired. A little cranky, sporting a slight headache, and tired. Borderline exhausted was a more apt description. As he walked through the doors of the crime lab, a slight buzz spread from within and a smile fluttered to his face. They were back, back in New York, back home. It's not as if he didn't enjoy his time in Montana with Lindsay; Bozeman just wasn't the same as New York. Having only flown back the previous night, Danny was still worn out from the flight, amongst other things. Drawn from his musings by a squeeze of the hand, he blinked and realised that he had stopped walking, only a couple of steps before the elevator. He noticed the worried look Lindsay gave him, but chose to ignore it. It was nothing – she was just worrying – again. He was fine. Tired, but fine.

As luck would have it, they had the elevator to themselves. They rode in silence as the car brought them up the sky rise to the crime lab, the only sounds coming from the shuffle of their clothing as they moved. Bringing their entwined hands to her lips, Lindsay placed a kiss to his knuckles, bringing another smile to his face. Her next few words abruptly caused his smile to topple over.

"You look like hell you know that?" She didn't make eye contact with him, focusing instead on the red numbers above the door, watching them as they escalated up the building.

Taken aback, he narrowed his eyes on her. "What'dya mean by that, Montana?" he asked, his voice gruff, completing his slightly haggard look.

"What do you think I mean?" Turning to face him, her eyes softened as she cupped his cheek, brushing his skin softly with her thumb. "I know you haven't been sleeping. What's wrong?"

He sighed. "It's nothing Montana, don't worry about it," he replied in assurance. "I'm fine."

She didn't believe him. She _knew_ him, and he knew better. Remaining silent, she turned away, taking the time to calm her own emotions. She hated it when he hid things from her, a trait they both possessed. And being as stubborn as they were, it was simply a well paved road to a fight.

"Why's this thing taking so long?" Danny asked impatiently as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

She turned to him again, this time letting her eyes travel across his face and down his body. She took in his posture: slightly slumped, like when you're too tired to hold yourself upright. "Danny?"

"Hmm…" he mumbled his reply, his concentration on the numbers that seemed to take forever to pass by.

"Promise me something."

He gave another mumble in reply.

"Danny…" Her patience was running short. It was bad enough that he was hiding something, but now he was ignoring her. Her anger continued to brew, and his silence did nothing but fuel it.

Suddenly he turned on her. "What is it Lindsay?" he asked with barely restrained irritation. It gnawed at her fuse.

"You know what? Never mind. Forget I said anything," she replied, her voice rising slightly.

Her irritation augmented his own, blinding him to whatever the problem was. "Montana…" His voice grew deeper, and Lindsay knew that she was pissing him off.

"There's no point in me worrying about you is there?" Her volume escalated, and a corner of her mind wondered if the people outside could hear her.

"No, I…"

"No, there isn't. Since you couldn't care less about yourself, why the hell should I – right? Maybe I'm just better off with someone who'll at least pretend to care!"

He made a split-second decision and punched the emergency stop button, ignoring the daggers in her glare. He didn't mean to piss her off; he never thought it was that big of a deal.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked, standing stiff with her arms crossed.

Taking a second to compose himself, he looked up to her, his gaze softening. "Working' this…" his hands gestured between them, "…out."

"What's to work out? I cared, you didn't, and now I don't. Simple." Her reply was doing something to him, something he'd never felt. She'd never spoken to him like that before. It was heartless, tearing into him with every word. It hurt.

"Montana…" His voice was soft, void of any anger he'd previously harboured.

"What?" Her reply was sharp, ringing in his ears, making him tingle slightly.

But in the midst of all the tension, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You're getting really good at that."

"Good at what?" she snapped, her brows furrowed in confusion. Leave it to Danny to completely stump her.

"Makin' me feel all guilty," he replied. He took a step towards her, with the clear intent of pulling her closer, but she was having none of it.

She took a step back. "No you don't, I'm mad at you." Swiftly, she turned around, her arms crossed and her eyes fixated on the elevator door. She hoped to god he didn't see the damned smile she was sporting.

Unfortunately, he did, having seen the corner of her lip curve upward as she turned. Taking another step forward, he enveloped her in his arms and placed a gentle kiss to her temple. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Seconds passed as she felt her resolve crumble, and soon enough, she found herself sinking into his embrace. She felt irritated and elated all at the same time, knowing that he could so easily reduce her to a puddle. Reluctantly, she released a sigh; one of happiness, one that she knew gave Danny a reason to plaster that smirk on his face. She could feel it as his lips travelled down the bare skin of her neck, lazily placing kisses as pleasure continued to shoot down her spine.

"Forgiven?" he asked gruffly. His smirk waned, this was serious.

Lindsay pulled away, her back still facing him, and slowly, she turned. Her eyes met his, hazel to blue, drinking and breathing each other in. "Not until you tell me why." She wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. She was in love with him, and that also meant that she personally made it her business to know what troubled him. Love goes two ways – he'd broken down her walls a long time ago. Now it was her turn to do the same to him.

Danny sighed and backed up against the rear of the car. Taking off his glasses, his arm slacked to his side as the other rubbed his tired eyes. Closing his eyes, he felt his glasses removed from between his fingers to be replaced by familiar warmth as her hands fitted themselves, perfectly, in his.

"Danny…"

Finally, he relented. As well as he knew his Montana, and he prided himself in knowing her better than anyone else in New York City, there was no way he was walking out of it – but there was a chance at limping. Deciding against it, he expelled a breath and started. "You remember the night after the funeral?" he asked, and at her nod, he continued, "You had a nightmare."

"I remember that," Lindsay admitted, remembering the mental images of Danny in the casket instead of Stan.

"That was the only one you remember," he corrected. The confusion in her eyes compelled him to go on. "You had a few more that night, but every time you started, I'd hold you and talk to you, and you'd calm down again. I mean, I don't know what happens in your dreams, not like its cable TV or somethin' but you'd go back to sleep without wakin' up."

Stepping closer, she let him wrap his arms around her as she leaned her head against his chest. She could feel his heart beating beneath his skin and the heat from his body slowly seeping into hers. "And you've been doing that every night since…haven't you?"

"Yeah, you're not havin' them all that often anymore, and you didn't have any last night."

Lindsay chuckled; she wasn't going to tell him just yet. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"What?" He pulled away slightly, shooting her a mock-glare. "I was hopin' for a thank you or somethin'."

Her chuckle turned into a full blown laugh, muffled by his shirt. Pulling away, she looked up at him with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Danny," she said, leaning in to brush her lips against his.

"Why're we so emotional today?" he asked with a laugh.

"You're always snappy when you're tired," she smirked as he sent her another glare.

"That explains me, but you?" he argued.

Lindsay simply shrugged and replied, "I'm tired too."

"You're worse than me when you're tired," Danny pointed out. A moment passed before realisation hit him squarely in the face, "You didn't sleep last night either, did you? That's why you didn't have a nightmare. Why you little…"

"I dare you to finish that sentence, Detective," Lindsay snapped, her fingers poking him in the chest.

He gulped. "…beautiful, smart and incredibly sexy woman?"

"Nice save." She laughed, and he laughed with her. It was frustrating but she was thankful that they had the inability stay angry at each other for long.

At that moment, Lindsay's phone decided to interrupt with the unmistakable tune of Michael Bublé's 'Everything'. It was their song – a ring tone they both shared, much to the amusement of Stella when she first found out before dubbing it 'sweet'.

Unhooking her phone from her belt, she flipped it open. "Mont – Monroe." She cringed inwardly, knowing that her little slip gave Danny's smirk another few minutes of life.

"Lindsay, is Danny with you?" It was Mac.

"Yeah he is…" her voice trailed off. She checked her watch. They weren't late – yet.

"Where are you guys?" He sounded impatient. She sighed.

"In the elevator, we're on our way up," she replied. It was true, for the most part. The fact that they weren't moving didn't need to be mentioned.

"Well you two have got a case, so turn around and head uptown," informed Mac, giving them the necessary location and details. "Flack's on his way there."

"What? No coffee first?" asked Lindsay, before realising she who she was talking to. _Damn it, Danny!_

Mac was silent, and soon enough there was a faint hint of laughter on his end. "You sound like Danny," he pointed out. "If my memory serves me well, there's a Starbucks on the way. Knock yourself out."

"Right Mac," she replied before flipping her phone closed and reattaching it back to her belt. Repressing the emergency stop button, the car shuddered for a split-second before moving once again. Getting out on the next floor, they took another down to the parking lot.

"Hey! Where we goin'?" he asked curiously.

"We've got a case," she replied as the door dinged open. "I'll tell you in the car."

Danny took the driver's seat as Lindsay stored their kits in the rear. "What was that all about?" he asked as she got in.

"Mac thinks I sound like you," she replied as her seatbelt clicked into place.

"Stella thinks I sound like you sometimes," he countered. "So where we goin'?"

--CSI:NY--

"I want surveillance tapes of the nearby stores. Maybe someone, somewhere, got something," Flack ordered. The young officer nodded and left. Turning around, he spotted his partner walking towards him, her notepad in hand.

"Anything?" she asked, nodding her head in the direction of the officer.

He shook his head. "Well find something."

Rebecca nodded. Her sight drifted to the crime scene tape as it was lifted. "Look who's here," she announced with a smile.

Turning around, Flack raised a hand in a wave as the couple walked up to them, "Couldn't stay away could you? How was Montana?"

"New York's New York, what can I say?" replied Danny, purposely ignoring the rest of the question.

Noting Lindsay's less than usual fiery demeanour, Flack asked, "You okay, Linds?"

"I'm fine, just getting back into the old routine," Lindsay softly replied.

"Anyway…so what we got?" asked Danny, hoping to draw attention away from the memories of the funeral he knew were flying through Lindsay's mind.

"Two bodies, less than 20 feet apart," informed Rebecca as she gestured them to follow, leading them to the first victim: a young blonde girl. Her body was propped up against the side of the dumpster, her chest and surroundings drenched in blood.

Knowing how these cases affected Lindsay, Danny reached for her hand and threw her a supportive look. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You okay, Montana?"

Their hands still connected, she squeezed back and replied with a half smile, "I'll be okay."

Danny nodded and turned back to the task at hand. "So who's this?"

Flipping through her pad, Rebecca filled them in on the details. "This here is Amelie Dolonov, 19, works at a bar down the block."

"Dolonov? Sounds Russian," Lindsay commented.

"Czech," Rebecca corrected before leading them to Flack, and the second body who was face down in a pool of blood.

"Someone didn't make it home for dinner last night," said Lindsay, noting the bag of groceries pinned beneath the body, now drenched in blood.

Nodding, Flack read out the vic's details from his book, "Erik Morrez, 18, lives around the block with his mother."

"Has she been notified?" asked Lindsay.

"Not yet. Waiting for official C.O.D," replied Rebecca.

"We'll let you lab rats do your thing, we've got people to interview," Flack droned, watching as Danny held a supportive hand to Lindsay. "Linds?" Danny and Lindsay turned to him, "It's good to have you both back."

"It's good to be back," Lindsay acknowledged with a smile, her back gently leaning against Danny's body.

Danny turned to Lindsay as Flack and Rebecca rounded the corner. "How bout I take the girl?" he suggested.

She had another idea. "How bout we flip for it?"

"You sure?" He wanted to give her a way out, not wanting to pin anything on her.

She nodded and placed her hand on his arm in assurance. "I'm sure. It's part of the job, Dan."

"Call it in the air," he instructed, fishing out a coin from his pocket.

"Heads," she called out as he flipped it, landing face up squarely in the palm of his hand.

Danny smiled; he figured that he'd process the girl either way, whether by her choice or his. "Guess I'm takin' the girl?"

"No."

"No?" Perplexed, he furrowed his brows in confusion as Lindsay stared at the body.

Tearing herself away, she turned to him, her heart warming the instant their eyes connected. She knew he was worried, and was just waiting for his protest. "It's something I need to learn to deal with."

"Okay." His answer was soft-spoken, but filled with strength and support.

Lindsay gave a weak smile and held up her camera. "Let's get to work."

--CSI:NY--

Bagging whatever evidence she could set her eyes on, the smell of alcohol at the scene was making her head spin, and not in a pleasant way. She looked over at Danny who was kneeling down beside the body, carefully placing the sealed packets into the box. They were both running on a small amount of evidence, none of which could be seen as imperative to the case, save the cigarette butt she had found tossed beside the girl's body. Deciding that there was little more she could do, Lindsay stood up, wincing slightly as she straightened before picking up her kit and the box. "You done?" she asked and walked over to his side.

"Yeah, pretty much," Danny replied, looking around to see if he'd missed anything. "How 'bout you?"

Indicating the box in her arm, she watched him nod and said, "Let's get out of here."

"Yeah, all the alcohol lying around is givin' me a headache," he replied wearily. Standing up, they made their way back to the car, evidence and kits in hand. Noting her silence, he tried to coerce her into talking. "You alright?"

She flashed a smile. "Yeah, you?"

"Hangin' in there," He replied as he loaded the evidence into the back of the truck. "Wouldn't mind going mattress shopping though."

Lindsay giggled as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, and together they slipped into a comfortable silence. "What're ya thinkin' about, Montana?"

"The case," she replied. Her face leaning against his chest, the steady thump of his heart comforted her.

"The girl?" It was a rhetorical question. He knew she was thinking about the girl, wondering what could possess a person to kill someone so innocent. These cases affected her more, and he knew she wouldn't be satisfied until she knew why – just like the mermaid case they had years ago. Back then there was little he could've done, but now they were together, and he wasn't going to let the case consume her.

"Need I remind you that you're still on duty, Detectives?" Flack called out, watching in amusement as his friends pried themselves apart. He looked over and saw Rebecca sporting a grin, which he most probably mirrored.

"Like a bucket of ice water," mumbled Danny as he stood up. Giving his friend a glare, he turned to Rebecca. "You guys got anything?"

Rebecca nodded. "Girl we interviewed at the bar said she saw a man; white, about your height, drunk as a skunk, follow her when she left. Turns out, our vic's also been on the rocks with her boyfriend for the past few months. No name though."

"We figured those two had the most reason for murder," said Flack.

Taking in the info, Lindsay glanced at Danny. The boyfriend she could get, but… "Why the drunk?"

"She wouldn't give him any more booze," Flack replied. After sharing a chuckle with his partner, he explained. "Seems Amelie, the kind hearted waitress, thought our drunk already had more than enough. So she wouldn't get him any more beer. He wasn't happy."

"A good deed gets her killed," said Danny. "You gotta be kidding me."

"We've got to prove it first," Rebecca pointed out.

Lindsay nodded, "That's our job."

--CSI:NY--

Stepping out of the elevator, Lindsay watched as Adam's eyes widened in surprise before a smile broke out. He walked towards them, a blonde haired woman tailing behind. "Danny, Lindsay, it's good to see you guys!" he greeted, his charming grin seemingly mirrored in the blonde's face who stood silently beside him.

"Thanks, Adam," Lindsay replied before turning to the blonde. With a smile, she offered her hand. "Hi, I'm Lindsay Monroe, and this is Danny Messer. I don't think we've met."

"Oh! This is Kendall. She's our new lab tech," Adam informed, watching with relief as the pair happily greeted her. _Two down..._

Kendall smiled as she accepted their outstretched hands and tossed a special grin, on the side, to Adam which made his heart flutter slightly. "I've got to get back to work, Stella's waiting on me. It's nice to meet you both."

"She seems nice," Lindsay commented as Kendall slipped back into the trace lab.

"Yeah, she is," replied Adam, a hint of red tinting his cheeks.

Danny grinned knowingly. _Way to go Adam! _"What does Rebecca think?"

"Who?"

"Rebecca," repeated Lindsay. "Your self proclaimed pseudo sister who happens to be dating Danny's best friend?"

"Doesn't ring any bells," mumbled Adam, scratching his head in mock-thought.

Danny laughed, "What happened?" He had an idea of what had Adam in a twist, but he thought better than to voice it.

"Nothing, just haven't seen her more than the usual 'hello, good bye' at least," Adam replied with irritation.

"Jealous, Ross?" Danny asked, nudging the man with his elbow.

With a glare, Adam scoffed. "In your dreams, Messer."

"I think it's sweet," offered Lindsay.

"Sweet?" chorused the two men.

_Men._ She rolled her eyes and replied, "You're like the over protective brother who's worried about his sister. It's sweet." She shot Danny a look, watching in amusement as he raised his arms in surrender.

"Hey, I get it!"

Turning back to Adam, she placed a supportive hand on Adam's shoulder. "Don't worry about her. You know Flack, he won't hurt her."

"Guess so," he admitted. "Listen, I gotta get back to work before Mac busts my ass. You guys need any help processing?"

"Nah, we're good," replied Danny. "Catch ya later Adam."

--CSI:NY--

"Theories?" asked Danny with a yawn as he removed the evidence from the box, placing them on the light table.

"You need to sit down before you fall over," said Lindsay as she watched him sway slightly on his feet.

"I'm fine," he replied, swatting her hands away. "Anything?"

"None yet," she supplied. Her fingers caressed her forehead in thought. "Pockets weren't turned out so we can rule out robbery."

Danny nodded, his finger hovering across the pieces of evidence laid out on the table as he made a mental checklist. "Let's hope one of these things gives us something to go on."

--CSI:NY—

Hooking his phone back onto his belt, Flack turned to Rebecca as the two stepped out of Havana; the club where Amelie Dolonov worked. "You wanna grab something to eat? I'm starving."

"Same here. Lead the way, Detective," replied Rebecca.

Driving a few blocks down to a local diner, Flack smiled at the familiar owner as he steered his partner into one of the booths in the back. "Ted's diner can't go wrong."

After placing their orders, Flack sat back, enjoying the feeling of having Rebecca plastered against his side. He'd be teased till the end of days if Danny ever saw him, knowing that the CSI saw it as perfect retaliation for all the shit he'd put him through with Lindsay. He smiled at the thought of Danny and Lindsay together; they were a perfect match and he was glad his friend had found someone special. He never thought it would've been a simple country girl from Montana, but the again, it was those kind of things that tended to sneak up on you.

"What're you thinking about, Don?" asked Rebecca, noting her partner's silence.

Flack shook his head and leaned in, "When do you think they're gonna tie the knot?"

"Come again?"

"You know? Marriage," said Flack, left hand up waggling his ring finger.

She rolled her eyes. "I know what tying the knot means, idiot. Who are you talking about?"

Realising that she hadn't been following his train of thought, he smiled sheepishly and filled her in, "Messer and Monroe."

"Oh." She got it now. "I dunno. They're adorable together."

"Adorable?" he questioned. "And don't roll your eyes."

She did it anyway. "Come on, Don, they're a-do-ra-ble together. And they look so happy too."

"Yeah, yeah." It was true; he had never seen Danny so happy. A thought came to his mind as he turned to face her. "What about us?" he asked suggestively.

"What about us?"

It was his turn now as his eyes went on a roller coaster ride. "Are we…you know…adorable?"

"No."

"No?" He frowned confusedly.

"No," she repeated. "We're cute." Biting back a laugh at the expression on his face, Rebecca turned away, thanking the waitress as she brought their orders.

"I'm not cute," said Flack with a look of mock-distaste. "I'm ruggedly handsome, striking or…dashing. I ain't cute."

"So you're not cute?"

"Nope," he replied confidently.

Rebecca nodded and asked innocently, "So…what if I said I had a thing for cute guys?" Biting back another laugh as she watched him ponder the question, she turned her attention to her food, eagerly awaiting his response.

Flack made up his mind soon enough as he picked up his burger. "Who in New York is cuter than me?" he asked before taking a bite.

She giggled in response, wiping the ketchup with a serviette as it trailed down from the corner of her mouth. "That's what I thought."

Finishing off their meal in between looks and laughs, Rebecca's phone went off as Flack paid the bill.

"Pierce," she answered, wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

From the cashier, Flack watched on as her expression turned serious. Collecting his change, he waited by the door as Rebecca stood up.

"We've got a location on one of our suspects," she explained as they exited the diner. Crossing the street, they hopped into the Flack's car. "The girl at the bar called, the drunk's just walked in. I told her to keep him there for as long as possible."

Flack nodded, pulling the car onto the main road. "We're two minutes away."

--CSI:NY--

"Looks like we're gonna have to call it a day, Montana. Our evidence is stuck in queue behind Mac's," Danny announced as he stepped into their shared office.

Turning away from her computer monitor, she faced him, "The assassination attempt?"

"Yeah, one of the senators' daughters is a suspect. Gerrard's pretty much got his foot down Mac's throat."

Nodding, she noticed the file he was holding. "What's that?"

"Oh yeah, Sid's report," he answered, having completely forgotten about it. Walking over to her desk, he handed it to her. "According to Sid, our female vic died a few minutes prior to our male vic."

"I don't think the guy had anything to do with it," said Lindsay. "He was carrying a bag of groceries; there's a corner shop down the road."

"Wrong place, wrong time?" he asked. "Explains why there's no apparent connection between our vics."

"We need to find the murder weapon."

Danny sighed and leaned against the edge of his partner's desk. "But we've got nothing to go on. Not until we get a report back from trace or someone fesses up." Closing his eyes, his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. Now sporting the beginnings of a headache, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with Lindsay in his arms. Indulging in the thought, a smile fluttered to his face which turned into a groan as skilled fingers kneaded his shoulders. "Montana…"

"You're exhausted," she whispered, guiding him to the couch. She nudged him to lie down, smiling as he groaned at the contact between his back and the soft leather. Perching herself on the edge of the sofa, by his head, her fingers kneaded his temples, eliciting a moan every now and then which eventually died down as he drifted off to sleep. Checking the time, she noticed that they had another 2 hours till the end of shift. A knock startled her. Turning to the door, she saw Hawkes poking his head in with a gentle smile.

"Hey," he greeted. "Welcome back."

"Hey Sheldon, sorry we didn't find you earlier," she replied sheepishly.

He waved it off, "Don't worry about it. Mac said you guys got pulled onto a case before you even got off the elevator."

"Sounds about right," she replied with a laugh. "You workin' on Mac's case?" Settling in beside Danny's dozing body, she waved him in.

"Actually, I just wrapped up a double. Mac and Stella have got theirs under their belts. Thought I'd come and give you guys a hand" said Hawkes as he propped himself against Danny's desk.

She nodded, her fingers absentmindedly running themselves through Danny's hair. She smiled as Danny shifted, burying his face into her thigh, his mouth slightly ajar. Turning back to Hawkes, she asked, "I head Gerard's on our case again."

"Pressure travels down the line," replied Hawkes with a shrug. "He doesn't need anything to get on our backs anyway."

"The case file is behind you, if you wanted to take a look at it," offered Lindsay. "Superman here thought he'd stare it down till he solved it."

"What's wrong with him anyway?" asked Hawkes with a grin as he bent back to pick up the file.

Glancing down at Danny's face, she smiled as a low hum left his throat. "Long story short – sleep deprivation."

"You to blame for that?" he asked cheekily. Sporting a grin, he flipped through the file, familiarising himself with the case. "Any trace on the two vics?"

"We're stuck in queue after Mac's case," replied Lindsay.

With a nod, he replaced the file on Danny's desk. "That's going to take a while; he's got an entire vault of evidence to root through."

"He can't use you?"

"More hands don't always make the job easier," he pointed out. "It's a complicated case."

A moment of silence passed, before Hawkes spoke up again. "How was Montana?"

"As well as could be expected," Lindsay replied softly. "Mom was excited to see Danny again."

Hawkes laughed as he imagined the scene in his head. "He a hit with the folks?"

"Dad thinks he's a good guy and Mom's already dubbed him her son-in-law." She laughed at that particular memory. The conversation had left them both red with embarrassment, but warmth filled her heart at what he had said to her mother. _I ain't goin' no where._

Hawkes smiled as he watched Lindsay drift with her thoughts. From her widening smile, he could tell it was a pleasant trip. "That's good, right?"

"Yeah, guess so," replied Lindsay. "Can you see us that way? Married I mean."

"You want the truth?" At her nod, he told her. "Yeah, I can. You guys were made for each other."

"Thanks Sheldon."

"Why don't you take him home?" he suggested kindly.

"We've still got another hour and a half on the clock," she replied, groaning at the clock.

"Don't worry about it, I'll cover for you."

A little uncertain, her gaze shifted between the two men. "I dunno…"

"He looks like he could use a good night's sleep," Hawkes pointed out as Danny shifted.

"You sure?" she asked, her smile breaking out as he nodded. "Thanks Sheldon."

"I'm expecting the same treatment in return," he grinned.

"Wouldn't think otherwise," she replied as he got up to leave. Watching him walk out, he surprised her when he turned around at the doorway and walked back in.

"By the way, if eloping was ever in your plans, I suggest you forget about it," he said with a grin.

_Huh?_ "What?"

Looking around, Hawkes stepped in and replied softly, "Don't tell anyone, but word is that Stella's already eyeing a dress she's planning on wearing to your wedding."

The two shared a look before breaking into laughter. "Goodbye Doctor."

"Get home safe," he called out as she waved him off.

As the laughter slowly died, Lindsay turned to her sleeping partner.

_Now, to get you home…_

* * *

**_A/N: Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought?_**


	31. Loose Ends Tied

**_A/N: A million thanks to Sally Jetson for the beta._**

* * *

The scent of breakfast permeated the apartment as the kitchen radio sang a familiar country tune. Swaying gently to the music as she followed the lyrics, Lindsay walked over to the waffle iron with a plate and carefully transferred the waffles before pouring in another round of batter, smiling in satisfaction as the iron hissed and sizzled. It had surprised her when she found out that Danny owned a waffle iron. Somehow, she never saw him as a Sunday morning waffle person. In the time they had been together, she had learned to accept the little quirks that made Danny the person she so dearly loved. She giggled at the memory of when she first caught sight of it, casually lying on the counter beside the refrigerator. He told her that he had loved waffles ever since he was a child and by his fourteenth birthday, his mother saw it fit that he own one of his own. Lindsay admitted that it was an unusual gift for today's fourteen year olds, being neither hip nor trendy.

A beep from her phone brought her out of her daydream and she glanced at the clock. It was 8am and she needed to wake Danny up. The thought of him brought a smile to her lips as she switched the iron off and placed its contents onto another plate. Sliding it onto the counter, she hung her apron and made her way to the bedroom, her breath hitching at the sight of him, lying on the bed with her pillow in his arms, peacefully asleep.

Perching on his bedside, she ran her fingers through his short blonde hair and whispered his name. She watched with a smile as he buried his face into the pillow, his mind no doubt shifting through the many layers of sleep towards consciousness. Raking her fingers back and forth in his hair, her other arm continued to gently rub circles on his chest. "Danny," she called, her voice gentle and soft. "Time to get up, Honey."

Groaning happily at the gentle caresses, Danny's eyelids twitched and fluttered as he drew himself out of sleep. Experimentally opening his eyes, he smiled at the warm and pleasant sight that welcomed him. "Mornin'," he whispered. His eyes closed as the skin of her fingers brushed against his cheek.

"Good morning," she softly replied. Her heart fluttered at his smile; his first of the day ever so un-weighed and brilliant. Watching as he drifted back and forth between sleep and consciousness, she bent down and placed a kiss on his nose, giggling at the sight of the dopey grin he sported. "How're you feeling?" she asked.

He smiled and replied, his voice laden with sleep and exhaustion. "Better," he admitted while attempting to sit up. His arms however couldn't hold him up for long as he dropped back onto the bed. "Just a little tired."

Placing a hand against his forehead, she crinkled her nose and said, "You feel a little feverish. Call in sick."

"Nah," he replied, "I'll be fine after a few pain killers."

She nodded, not wanting to pick a fight with him. It would've been better for him to stay home and rest but she knew how stubborn he was; they were rivals in that department. "Are you hungry? I made waffles," she said while helping him sit up.

He perked up almost instantly. "Waffles?"

"Only for you," she replied with a grin. "Stay put, I'll go get it."

"You're not my maid, Montana," he said as he attempted to get out of bed. "I'll be out there in a sec."

She pushed him back down without much resistance. "I thought guys liked to be babied by beautiful women," she quipped.

"Not this guy," he replied and looked up at her. "Montana…"

She stood up and said, "You're not feeling well, so I'm going to bring you breakfast before it ends up on the floor." Her words were firm and sharp, but her eyes remained gentle as they focused on him. She smiled as he sighed and nodded weakly.

XXXXXX

"You alright Stel?" asked Hawkes as he watched her make a beeline for the coffee. "You look terrible."

"Sheldon Hawkes, would it hurt for you to lie once in a while? No wonder you're single," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

Far from taking it personally, Hawkes continued his observation. "A few dark circles and a snappy temper, I'm assuming you didn't get much sleep last night."

Taking a seat across from him, she snorted in agreement. "Nightmare," she stated before gingerly sipping her coffee.

"What about?" he enquired. He wasn't a trained psychologist or anything, but years of observation had given him some sort of idea.

With a yawn, she tiredly replied, "Senator sent a hit man after us because his daughter got convicted."

"Sounds frightening," he admitted.

"Very funny, Hawkes." Her irritation was evident.

Holding his arms up in surrender, he watched her drain the last drops from her cup before getting up.

"Oh, and say hi to Danny and Lindsay for me. I haven't had the chance to see them yet," she said as she rinsed her mug.

He nodded, "Sure thing, good luck on your case."

"Yeah thanks." With a heavy step, she headed back to the evidence, back to the million pieces of glass that needed to be dusted before painstakingly put back together. She vaguely registered passing Flack and Rebecca in the hallway, but her current mental lock kept her sights set on the case. It was the only obstacle between her and a glass of champagne before bed.

"Hey, Hawkes," greeted Flack as he and Rebecca entered. "You seen Danny and Lindsay around?"

"Right behind you," replied Lindsay as she slipped in, Danny sluggishly tagging along behind her. "Hey, Sheldon," she greeted.

"Mornin'," Hawkes replied before turning to Danny, "Nice to see you awake, Danny."

Danny smiled sheepishly as he nodded in reply. "Sorry 'bout that, Doc. Montana told me what happened."

"What happened?" Rebecca asked curiously.

"I came by to see these two…" Hawkes started, gesturing to Danny and Lindsay. "…and Messer here was out like a light on his office couch using Lindsay as a bolster pillow," he explained. He watched with amusement as Danny groaned and he buried his head into Lindsay's shoulder as the others laughed.

"So what have you got, Flack?" asked Lindsay, steering the topic back to work.

Shifting back into work mode, he told her about the drunk they'd picked up and questioned the previous day. "Michaels was way too drunk to have been our killer," he explained. "He's got enough booze in his system to be a walking beer bottle."

"He could've been sober two nights ago," Danny pointed out.

Rebecca shook her head, "Witnesses say otherwise. Apparently he was quite the swimmer; tried to do the freestyle on the bar."

"It could have happened while he was drunk," suggested Hawkes.

Lindsay considered the theory, "The shot was precise. According to Sid's report, the bullet punctured our female vic's heart. This was personal."

"If he was an angry drunk, there would most likely have been more stray shots," said Danny.

Hawkes turned to Rebecca. "What does Michaels have to say?"

"According to him, he remembered following her into the alley, giving her a hug and leaving for the next longneck," said Flack. He shook his head, "I don't think I believe him."

"He started talking to the table halfway through the questioning," Rebecca supplied. "Funny, but unhelpful."

"Does he have any known ties with any of our vics?" asked Hawkes.

Rebecca shook her head. "None that we know of."

"Where's he at now?" asked Danny.

Flack snorted and replied, "Probably getting more shit-faced than he already is."

"Who else do we have on our suspect list?" Hawkes inquired.

"The boyfriend," Rebecca supplied. "Jake Demeyre."

Danny nodded. "Let's go get him."

"I'm going to need you to go solo for a while," said Rebecca. "I need to talk to Mac and Stella about the senator case."

Confused, Lindsay asked, "You're working that too?"

"Got dragged on," Rebecca replied with a sigh. She pointed to Flack and said, "It seems unfair that he gets the easy case."

"Chief's choice," Flack quipped. Smirking at his partner, he laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Not my fault."

"Whatever, Don," Rebecca replied, waving him off. "See you guys later?"

Nodding, Danny watched as she left the room and turned to Lindsay. "You comin'?" he asked, and to his surprise, she shook her head.

"I'm waiting on prints from the cigarette butt I found at the scene," she explained.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he smiled and placed a kiss on her neck. "Better not be mine again, Montana."

"I'll throw it out if C.O.D.I.S spits out your name," she offered with a giggle.

Danny chuckled. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

"I'll see you later, and be careful," said Lindsay before turning away.

He pulled her back and kissed her, whispering "I love you," as they parted.

"Come on lover boy, we don't got all day," said Flack impatiently. "You can run off with her later."

"I'm comin'," replied Danny with a grin as he followed the taller man out of the room.

Lindsay smiled as she watched him leave, chuckling at his behaviour. Turning, she stopped at the look Hawkes was giving her. "What?" she asked.

"What have you done to him?" he asked. "I've never seen him like that before."

"Like what?" she asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

Hawkes chuckled as they both exited the room. "He's all lovey-dovey. In all my years as his friend, you're the first to do that to him. You must be one talented woman."

"I try," replied Lindsay as they reached the corner. "I'm going to go through what evidence we have, meet you later?"

Hawkes nodded. "I'll page you when the results come in."

Lindsay was about to reply when her pager beeped. "Kendall's got my trace report."

"Fill me in later. I'm going to go check on DNA," he replied before they parted.

XXXXXX

"Place looks posh," commented Flack as he stepped out of the elevator on the second floor, Danny and three uniforms following behind.

Danny snorted, "Yeah, well see just how posh this guy is." Approaching the end of the hallway, they paused in front of a door. "This is it," said Danny. "219."

Placing a hand on his holstered weapon, Flack gave the door three hard knocks. "Mr. Demeyre, this is the NYPD."

There was no response. Mimicking Flack's position, Danny knocked on the door and called out, "NYPD, open up!" This time he thought he heard a faint shuffle from within the apartment. Danny shared a look with Flack, and at the other man's nod, he turned to the officer closest to him and instructed, "Break it down."

As the door was kicked open, Danny led the way in, his gun in hand. "NYP-" He never managed to finish as a bullet came hurtling past and embedded itself not more than an inch from his head. 'Shit,' he thought, ducking slightly before he scrambled for cover from the bullets. Barely registering what Flack was yelling, he backed himself against a wall, shielding himself from Demeyre's view. One hand cradled his head as his ears continued to ring whilst the other firmly held his piece. Chancing it, he peeked around the corner for a look before leaping back as another bullet came streaking past. Fortunately he had managed to get a good look and had assessed the situation as Demeyre continued to fire. Crouching in the middle of the living room, Demeyre was shielded from view by a couple of upturned couches. Taking a good look around, Danny realised that he had jumped into the man's kitchen; he jumped again as a bullet hit a metal pan overhead, knocking it to the floor with a loud clang. Reaching for the pan, he took a good look at the slug that was embedded in the metal and identified the weapon. Mentally counting how many shots Demeyre had gotten off, he took out his phone and sent a quick message to Flack, who was no longer in his line of sight; _4 bullets left._

Patiently they waited as Demeyre continued to fire until Danny heard the unmistakable click of an empty clip. In a split second, he sprung up, sprinted across the apartment, lunged over the couch and tackled Demeyre to the ground. Managing to knock the man's gun away as he fumbled to reload, Danny attempted to pin him down with a pair of cuffs in his hand. Unfortunately for Danny, Demeyre had the advantage of being taller, heavier and bulkier. Grabbing hold of the edge of Danny's shirt, Demeyre tugged hard, throwing the smaller man off balance. In a flash, their positions were reversed as Danny was pinned down before taking a fist squarely in the gut. He moaned from the pain, shutting up as he took another to his side.

"Pig," Demeyre spat. "See how you like this." With a fist aimed at Danny's jaw, Demeyre hurled his fist forward but froze midway from a pressure against the back of his head and a familiar click.

"Wanna try that again?" Flack hissed as he nudged his gun against the back of the man's head. "Hands up."

With a loathing growl, Demeyre relented and held up his hands before being pushed back against the wall and handcuffed in record time. Struggling against his restraints, Demeyre clenched his teeth and locked eyes with Flack as he passed.

"You got nothing," he managed as another uniform hauled him out the door.

Glaring in Demeyre's departed direction, Flack turned back as Danny moaned in pain, the smaller man still lying flat on the ground clutching his abdomen. Running over to his friend's side, he kneeled and looked him over. "We need an EMT in here!" he radioed with a yell.

"Stop yelling asshole!" Danny yelled back as he struggled to sit up, one hand cradling his head, the other his abdomen. "My head already hurts thank you."

Letting go of a breath he didn't realise he was holding, Flack grinned as he gingerly guided Danny to the wall, letting him lean against it for support. "You alright, Messer?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah, yeah, just a little bruised," replied Danny. A thought flew across his mind and he groaned loudly, banging his head against the wall.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Flack.

Danny hung his head as his hands massaged his temples. "Lindsay's going to be pissed."

Flack blinked, now he understood, somewhat. "At you or the perp?"

"Both," Danny answered. "Think you can find my phone? Flew off somewhere when the big guy decided I needed a beating."

With a grin, Flack stood up and took a look around. "Missing the single life yet, Messer?" he asked. Spotting the phone beneath a table, he picked it up and handed it back.

Danny snorted in reply. "You kiddin' me? I got a beautiful woman to go home with everyday."

"Who you say is going to be pissed at you when she finds out you were used as target practice," Flack shot back.

Shrugging, Danny smiled sheepishly and hit 2 on his speed dial. "What can I say? Love's tough."

XXXXXX

Sitting in her office alone, Lindsay sighed as she stared at her computer screen background; it was a picture of the team but her eyes only saw herself and Danny. A smile fluttered to her face at the memory; Danny had managed to slip his arms around her just before the picture was taken, the reason they both sported similar looks of happiness. Switching the monitor off, she leaned back and closed her eyes. It had been at least an hour since Danny had called to tell her what had happened and that he was okay. Still, her raging heart refused to calm, not until she saw him, not until she was back in his arms. She needed physical proof that he was okay.

"Knock, knock." Startled, Lindsay opened her eyes to see Hawkes standing by the door holding a folder, concern evident on his face. Seeing her jump, Hawkes smiled sheepishly as he walked in and leaned against Danny's table; a habit he'd picked up whenever he worked with her. "Sorry, if I startled you."

Lindsay shook her head and offered a half smile. "No, it's okay. I wasn't even here."

"Lindsay, he's fine." He tried to comfort her, knowing exactly, or rather, who exactly was running through her mind. He had been in the office with her when the call came in and he clearly remembered her face turning white at what Danny had told her. That had been over an hour ago. Injured or not, he knew that Danny was a fighter to the very end. Having stayed at the site to process the scene, Hawkes hoped that Danny would be back soon.

"I know he's fine. It's just…" her voice trailed off, not sure how exactly to put her feelings into words.

"You can't believe it until you see him first hand?" he offered graciously.

She sighed, that was part of it. "Yeah, sort of," she mumbled.

Intending to change the subject, Hawkes stood up and handed over the file. "I picked up the DNA results, thought you might like to do the honours."

"If it's not Demeyre, I'm going to go shoot him myself," she said bitterly. Opening the file, her eyes went straight to name, "Boom!"

Hawkes chuckled. "Mac was right, you're starting to sound like Danny," he explained at her questioning look.

She grinned in reply but turned her attention back to the case. "So Demeyre was definitely at the scene, there's no doubt about that."

"But do we have anything that connects him specifically to the murder? We have motive and evidence that places him at the scene, but not murder."

"Hopefully we do now."

Both heads turned sharply to the doorway, relieved to see Danny leaning against the frame with his carefree grin firmly in place. Walking in, he handed over two evidence bags to Hawkes. "Gun and a bullet fragment I found at Mr. Nice Guy's apartment. Red stain on the bullet is blood. You process the rest, I'm too tired."

"You got it," replied Hawkes as he accepted the bags. "You good?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. A little sore, nothing a little massage can't handle," he replied with a wink. He had expected some witty comeback from Lindsay, who had moved to lean against her table, but she didn't say anything. The only sign that she had acknowledged his presence was a weak smile which caused his grin to falter.

Feeling the slight tension between the couple, Hawkes bid his farewell. "I better take a look at these. Good to know you're okay, Danny."

"Yeah, thanks," Danny mumbled distractedly. He shook his head and turned to Hawkes, "Sorry, what?"

Chuckling, Hawkes shook his head and held up the bags. "I'll see you two later," he said before exiting the room.

Slowly, Danny turned towards Lindsay, who up to this point had chosen to remain silent. He blinked and the next thing he knew, she had pressed herself against him, her face pressed so tightly against his chest that it was beginning to hurt. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her, happy that at least she wasn't crying. He couldn't ever stand to see her cry. "Lindsay…" he said softly.

"Don't call me that," she against the material of his shirt.

"What?"

She pulled away and looked up so their eyes met; brown to blue, like land and ocean. "I'm Montana to you, no one else," she replied. Her spirits rose at his charming smile, one that she couldn't help but reciprocate.

"I'm sorry I scared you," he whispered before placing a kiss on the top of her head which was once again pressed against his chest.

Tightening her embrace, she felt him flinch slightly but ignored him. "Just don't do it again."

"I'll try my best," he replied. He ran a hand through her hair and down her back in hopes of calming her. His abdomen protested at the pressure she was exerting and he squirmed uncomfortably against her. "Ah, Montana…"

"It hurts doesn't it?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Serves you right."

"What? Come on, that's not fair," he whined. "I nearly got shot today."

"And you scared me half to death," she replied. Easing out of his arms, she lifted the front of his shirt gingerly to see the red skin that was beginning to darken into a bruise. Gently, she grazed her finger across the offended muscle, watching him flinch at the touch. "Sore?"

"A little," admitted softly. "But I'm okay."

She nodded as her finger traced the tinting skin.

"Are you okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned for her. "Lind- Montana…"

Their eyes met again and she smiled. "I'm better, now that I know you're okay."

Danny snorted in response. "No one's takin' me away from you, Montana. Not our boss, not our friends, and definitely not that idiot."

Leaning in, she placed a gentle kiss against his lips, grinning as a whimpered for more. Turning her thoughts back to the case, she stepped out of his embrace and handed him the file which was lying on her desk.

He growled as he accepted the file and flipped it open.

"DNA from the cigarette butt I found was Demeyre's," she informed him as he skimmed through the report.

"So he was definitely there."

With a nod, she replied, "Yeah, but we can still get him for attempted murder."

"How do we know he tried to shoot her?" he asked in confusion.

Lindsay rolled her eyes and sat down. "Not her, Danny. You," she replied as his eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh-" He stopped as Lindsay's phone began to sing.

Sharing a glance with Danny, she picked it up and answered. "Monroe….yeah….we'll be down in a minute."

"Who was that?" Danny asked curiously.

"Front desk," she replied. "Someone wants to see us."

"Who?"

"Mrs. Morrez."

XXXXXX

Eyeing the tall detective through the bars of his cell, Demeyre visibly seethed as he continued to pace. "You got nothing on me cop," he hissed.

"Evidence says otherwise," Flack replied calmly. Ever since the pacing man had nearly sent his best friend to the grave, he'd taken it upon himself to make sure the scum got what he deserved.

Demeyre didn't believe him and repeated, "You got nothing."

To Flack, it seemed as if Demeyre was persuading himself more than anyone. Moving from leaning against the wall to sitting down on the plastic chair, he realised that that Demeyre had stopped pacing. Instead the large man was squatting on the floor, his eyes boring holes straight into Flack's. Bringing one leg over the other, Flack rested his arm against the table beside him, seeming completely relaxed. His eyes met Demeyre's and he fought the urge to ask the million dollar question; why'd he shoot? But he knew better, whatever he asked would be off record and wouldn't hold up in court. He'd wait until the CSIs okayed him to haul Demeyre's ass into interrogation.

XXXXXX

Stepping out of the elevator, Danny and Lindsay walked up to the receptionist, who then pointed them to a short elderly woman sitting quietly in the corner, her red and puffy eyes staring into the distance.

Approaching her, Danny cleared his throat and said, "Umm…Mrs. Morrez?" Lindsay stood still beside him, a look of sadness washed over her face.

The elderly woman turned and looked the two detectives up and down. "Hi," she stuttered and stopped to compose herself. "I'm sorry for disturbing you…"

"It's alright, Mrs. Morrez," replied Lindsay.

"I'm Detective Messer and this is Detective Monroe," Danny started. It wasn't all that often he had to talk to the mothers of the victims. "Is there something we can help you with?"

Mrs. Morrez seemed to consider her words before she spoke, her voice soft, her eyes pleading. "My son, have you…"

Understanding the mother's thought, Lindsay replied, "We have a suspect in custody, Mrs. Morrez. But you have to understand; we can't share the details with you whilst the case is on-going."

Mrs. Morrez nodded and turned to Danny. "My son, when you found him…did you…was he…did you find a locket with him?" she asked, more so, demanded.

Lindsay turned to Danny and they shared a look. Racking his brain, he remembered the golden locket, shaped as a tooth dangling from Erik's neck. The locket, along with the untouched groceries was one of the primary reasons he ruled out robbery. "Ye…yeah, your son was wearing a gold locket around his neck," he replied, watching as the woman before him sighed in relief.

"That locket is the last piece I have of Erik and his father," she explained. "His father was a soldier, good man. He died before Erik was born."

Lindsay said softly, "I'm…we're sorry for your loss."

"I need that locket, you have to understand. It's the only thing I have," Mrs. Morrez pleaded. Falling to her knees, she begged them through her tears.

Instinctively, they picked her back up and guided her to a chair. Lindsay offered her the tissue box from the nearby table. She sighed and replied, "I'm sorry Mrs. Morrez, but the locket is at the moment evidence."

"We can't release it whilst the case is ongoing," Danny finished. His heart fell as he watched the woman sob in front of him.

Kneeling down, Lindsay looked into the teary eyes of Mrs. Morrez. "I promise you we'll get it back to you when this is all over," she said in reassurance.

"Thank you," Mrs. Morrez replied as she stood up. "Please find my son's killer. I can't…"

"We will," Danny replied as the elderly woman turned and left. He sighed and reached for Lindsay's hand, squeezing it gently. "What's goin' through your mind?" he asked, seeing the pained look on her face.

Turning to face him, she tried to smile but couldn't. "I got a second chance with you," she replied. "I just wish she could have too."

"Yeah, so do I." Wrapping an arm around Lindsay's shoulders, he steered them back to the elevator.

XXXXXX

Skidding to a stop in front of Danny and Lindsay's office, Hawkes peered in to see the couple standing in the corner, their hands entwined. "We got him!" he announced.

Danny and Lindsay looked at each other before turning to face Hawkes. "Demeyre?" asked Lindsay.

Nodding in confirmation, he flipped through the file in his hand. "Prints I found on the gun are all his. The blood on the bullet fragment Danny found belongs to Amelie Dolonov and Ballistics confirmed the fragment was fired from the Demeyre's gun."

"So we got him," Lindsay stated.

Hawkes nodded. "Flack's bringing him in as we speak."

"How'd you manage to get through the DNA queue?" Danny asked.

Hawkes grinned. "Someone owes me a favour," he replied simply.

Danny snorted.

"I want in on his interrogation," said Lindsay. There was no way this guy was getting away and she was going to make sure of that.

Danny turned to her worriedly, "Montana…you don't."

"I want to," she replied.

"But…"

"Look," Lindsay cut him off sharply. "This man murdered two innocent teenagers and nearly killed you. You definitely don't want to be in there with him, and Hawkes will understand."

"But…"

She shook her head. "I'm staking my claim."

"What?" Danny asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. He turned to Hawkes for back-up but the man simply grinned and shrugged.

Squeezing his hand, Lindsay beseeched him to understand. "He nearly cracked your skull, I wanna crack him."

Hawkes chuckled and teased, "Ah, the joys of love."

"Shut up," replied Danny with a grin before turning back to Lindsay. "You sure?"

She gave him a look. "What do you think?"

With a sigh he relented. "Alright…" A grin made its way to the surface at a passing thought and he chuckled. "Just don't make him cry."

"Just watch me," she replied.

XXXXXX

His glares turned icy as Demeyre watched two detectives enter the room. Clenching his fists tightly, he released a breath and sat back. As far as he knew, they weren't getting anything out of him.

Narrowing his eyes on the man, Flack returned the glare. Two for two, he could do one better; enough evidence to put the bastard in jail for what he did. Watching Lindsay taking a seat, he remained standing with his back to the window. He grinned, knowing exactly how Lindsay was going to react. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,' he thought. There was no doubt that she was harbouring feelings of anger towards Demeyre. He just needed to sit back and watch. Demeyre wouldn't know what hit him.

Sneering at the two detectives, Demeyre's eyes travelled from Flack to Lindsay, who was now seated directly in front of him. 'Piece of cake,' he thought. With a smile, he asked her calmly, "What am I in here for?"

"You tellin' me you don't know what you're in here for?" Flack asked, his voice rising. He didn't know what it was but the guy seemed to rub him the wrong way – in every direction.

Lindsay continued to smile and replied, "Of course he doesn't, Flack. Just look at him."

"Listen to the lady here, why don't you?" Demeyre asked. His eyes remained focused on Flack.

"I don't think he has the brains," Lindsay continued. Flack grinned.

Locking his eyes back onto her, Demeyre simply scoffed before pushing his chair back. In retaliation, he held up his middle finger before bringing his feet up onto the table. "You guys have got nothin'," he drawled.

Flack looked on, breathing heavily as he kept his anger under control. About to kick the man's feet off the table, he stopped as Lindsay held out her hand.

She turned to him. "Leave him." Giving him a sly grin, she turned back to the other man and began to speak. "So, since you have no idea why you're here. I'm going to tell you." Ignoring the snort Demeyre gave her, she pressed on. Opening the case folder she had with her, she spread the evidence photos and reports across the table, pointing to each one as she spoke. "Your DNA on the cigarette butt we found at the scene, bullet fragment that killed Amelie Dolonov, the gun that fired the bullet and finally, your prints on said gun. You with me so far?"

"Whatever." Appearing un-interested, he yawned before grinning at Flack, indulging himself as he watched the tall detective turn red. "Your friend over there looks like he could use a smoke," he said to Lindsay, his thumb jerking in Flack's direction.

"Detective Flack doesn't smoke," Lindsay replied kindly. "But you do."

Demeyre laughed. "Yeah? So what? Plenty of people in New York that smoke."

"How many of them have your DNA?" she asked. Throwing the DNA report directly in front of him, she smiled. "You didn't expect a tiny little cigarette butt to come bite you in the ass, did you?"

He clenched his fists again in frustration; she was annoying him.

Flack laughed. "Don't think he did, Linds."

"No, I don't think he did," she agreed. Sitting up, she rested her head on her hands, elbows on the table. "Do you want to tell the story or should I? I'm really good at telling stories." She frowned at his silence. "Don't feel like sharing?"

Demeyre scoffed.

"Alright then, I'll tell the story. Feel free to chip in bits and pieces," said Lindsay. Glancing at Flack, she smiled as he laughed. "So," she started, turning her attention back to Demeyre. "Two nights ago, you were at the same bar Amelie worked at. You two have been fighting for a while now, and she wants to break your relationship off – weren't happy with that were you? You watch her leave. Then you get angry when a man follows her, so you decide to follow her too. How am I doing so far?"

"I'd say pretty good," replied Flack.

Lindsay nodded and continued, Demeyre watching her every move with bitterness. "So you get to the alley, and you see another man holding her, touching her – you get pissed off. You wait till the man leaves, and then you walk up to her. You pull out your gun, I'm guessing you two did some yelling…and then you pulled the trigger."

Losing himself in the memory, Demeyre clenched his teeth in anger. Narrowing his eyes on Lindsay, he lunged forward with his fists, barely managing to graze her jaw before he was restrained. Rushing forward, Flack pulled Lindsay back as the officers cuffed Demeyre to the chair. "You okay, Linds?" he asked, checking her face for any sign of damage.

Nodding her head, Lindsay gently pushed Flack's hands away. "I'm fine, Don." Returning to her seat, she nodded for the officers to release Demeyre. "You've got a temper don't you? Did I strike a nerve?" Her previous demeanour was gone; she'd had enough of playing games.

"Screw you," Demeyre hissed.

She stood up, her temper flaring. "Come on Demeyre! We've got your prints on the murder weapon. We've got proof you were there. You're looking at two life sentences here! What? Did you like putting a bullet in her or something? That turn you on? Seeing her blood on the ground?"

"I loved her!" he yelled, straining against his restraints.

"Then why did you kill her?" Lindsay demanded.

Demeyre continued to fight the cuffs, leaning forward as far as he could go, the metal visibly tearing into his skin. "Bitch deserved it for sleeping around on me!"

"So you got jealous and killed her? What kind of sicko are you?"

He spat onto the table. "She was foolin' around on me. Had to teach her a lesson."

"And what about the guy? You shot him in the back. Thought he was sleeping around on you too?"

"I told him to freeze and lie down on the ground. He ran. The guy ran – so I shot him down," he replied with a smile.

"He was innocent," she told him. Nodding at the officers to take him away, she took one last look at the struggling man, wondering where in hell he found the urge to murder two innocent people. She sighed and let Flack steer her out by the arm.

"You okay, Linds?" he asked with concern.

Lindsay nodded, giving him a half smile. "Yeah…yeah, I'm good."

"You cracked him."

She shrugged. "Had to."

With a nod, he nudged her slightly, "Go home Linds, take Danny with you. He's probably turnin' purple by now."

"Probably," she replied with a half smile.

Flack grinned and checked his watch. "Hey, you okay to get back? I've got to run and follow up on another case."

Thanking him, Lindsay watched as he headed down the hall before disappearing in a mass of moving bodies. Turning in the other direction, she smiled as the thought of Danny re-entered her mind.

_Wonder if he's up to cooking dinner tonight…_

XXXXXX

Dropping a handful of spaghetti into a pot of boiling salted water, Danny sighed as he watched the strands start to soften. Turning from the stove, he picked up the phone and hit 3 on speed dial. Stirring the noodles as he waited for the call to connect, he smiled at the familiar voice that answered. "Hey Ma, it's me."

"Danny!" Isabel Messer exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, listen I wanted to ask you something…" he paused for a breath, "…about next week."

"Daniel Messer, you better not be cancelling on me," Isabel warned. "Please…"

"Ma, no…listen…I'm not cancelling. You know I'm there every year," he replied. "I…"

"Danny, what is it?" she asked, recognising her son's embarrassment.

"I…I want to bring Mon…err…Lindsay with me, Ma," he explained. "You okay with that?"

"Of course, I'm okay with that. You know how much I want to meet her."

Danny sighed, "I know…"

"What's wrong, Danny?"

He groaned. "I forgot you're psychic, Ma."

"All mothers are," she explained. "Now tell me what's wrong."

"I nearly got shot today…" he began.

"It wouldn't be the first time. What's different this time?"

"Lindsay."

"Lindsay? Oh god, what happened? Where is she?"

Danny chuckled; leave it to his mother to overreact before he did. "Relax Ma, she's takin' a shower."

"Danny…" she warned.

"I scared her, Ma," he whispered.

"I'm sure she'll be okay, Danny. She's strong."

"It's not that," he replied. "When I saw her in the lab…she looked so scared and I felt…"

"…like your heart just dropped," she finished.

Danny nodded before realising his mother couldn't see him. "Yeah…I never felt that way before; worse than nearly gettin' shot."

"You love her."

"I know that." Of course he did. He'd told her countless times.

"Now your heart does too," Isabel replied softly.

"Ma?"

"Don't let her go, Danny," she told him softly.

Danny smiled. "I won't…" he replied. "I couldn't if I tried."

"Good. Honey, I have to go. Your father wants his dinner. I'll see you and Lindsay next week?"

"Yeah, tell Pop I said hi will you?"

"Of course. Take care, Danny. I love you"

"Love you too, Ma."

* * *

**_A/N: Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**


	32. Do As The Heart Tells

**_A/N: A million thanks to Sally Jetson for the beta as well as those of you who reviewed. I will get around to the replies, believe me when I say every review is appreciated._**

* * *

Rooting through her drawers, Lindsay picked out a dark green cashmere sweater, folded it carefully and placed it into their overnight bag which sat on the queen sized bed. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, a deep sigh left her lips as she rested her head on her hands, elbows on her knees. Suddenly, a pair of warm hands grasped hers and she looked up to see Danny squatting in front of her, his face showing concern.

"Montana," he whispered and she watched him close his eyes momentarily before he spoke again. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

She swallowed and started to reply but he cut her off, his eyes begging her to understand. Removing one of her hands from his, she patted the mattress and watched as he moved to sit beside her.

"It's my fault." He sighed and took a firm hold of her hands. "I didn't even think about what you wanted," he said softly. "If you really don't want to go, we can work somethin' out."

Smiling, Lindsay shook her head and lifted a hand to caress his chin as a wave of warmth spread through her body. She could see the sadness in his eyes, the disappointment in his voice and no matter how hard he tried to hide it, there was no way he could fool her; she could read his every emotion in a look. "Danny, I want to go. You know I do…"

"But?" A small fragment of hope lingered near his heart, circling like a child around a mother's legs.

Lindsay shook her head and leaned to place a kiss against his lips, a kiss which he readily accepted. "No buts," she replied. "I want to go."

"Then why all the sighs?" he asked. He wanted to, needed to know. Were they moving too fast? Was he making her uncomfortable? He needed something.

Shifting closer, Lindsay placed her head on his shoulder, her hands rubbing the length of his arm in affection. "It's your mother's birthday. I feel like I'm intruding," she explained. Lifting her head, she turned his head towards her. "You know I want to meet your family."

"So you don't think we're movin' too fast?" It was a constant fear of his that he'd do something that would drive her away. He'd had enough of screwing up relationships in the past, he wasn't willing to let hit happen again – not with Lindsay.

"Danny…" she started with a smile. "Do you see a baby in this room?"

He had to look. He couldn't fathom as to why, since he already knew the answer, but he still had to look. Satisfied that there was in fact no baby wandering around in their bedroom, he stared at her in confusion. "No?"

"Then we're not moving too fast," she said with a grin, eliciting a chuckle from Danny.

"You're really somethin', Montana."

Giving him a brilliant smile, Lindsay stood up and zipped their bag. They were spending the night at his parent's since Danny was convinced that he wouldn't be able to drive back from Staten Island under the influence – of his mother's cooking. "Come on, we'd better go or we'll be late."

Danny nodded as he stood up. "Yeah, Ma'll kill me if we're late," he replied, taking their bag from Lindsay.

"Is the infamous Danny Messer scared of his mother?" she asked with a giggle. Brushing her lips against his, she picked up her hand bag and waited for him.

Danny chuckled softly as he turned to look at her. "You kidding me? I'm terrified of her," he replied.

"It's cute," said Lindsay through her giggles.

Snorting, he steered her out to the door by the arm and began to help her into her jacket. "I broke a vase Grandma gave her when I was eight; didn't come home for two days."

"Where'd you go?" she asked, genuinely interested.

He laughed. "Hid out back in the garden shed. Lou had to sneak out food for me."

"At least I know you'll be fine if I kick you out," she quipped, grinning at the glare he gave her. Leaning in, she placed another kiss to his lips as he shrugged his jacket on. "Ready to roll?"

"You bet," he replied. "Hold on, I forgot something," he called out, running back into the bedroom.

"Hurry up!" she chastised. Hearing the familiar slam of his drawer, she wondered what it was that he'd forgotten.

Running back to the door, he gave her a sheepish smile and ushered her out, their bag in his hand. He locked the door with ease and together they made their way to the car.

Reaching the parking lot, Lindsay chuckled and turned to Danny. "I can't believe you managed to convince Mac to let you borrow the SUV," she said, hopping into the passenger seat. "There's nothing wrong with the ferry you know."

Danny chuckled as he took the driver's seat and started the engine. "I know, but since I'm bringin' ya to meet Ma, thought it'd be pretty cool to drive," he replied with a grin.

"I'm in love with a comedian," said Lindsay with a laugh.

"Should I be jealous?" he inquired with a grin.

"Mmm…I'd say so. He's a really, really, really amazing person."

Danny snorted, "That's an awful lot o' reallys there, Montana."

"Can't help it," she replied with a shrug. "That's Danny Messer for you." With a smile, she leaned across and kissed his cheek.

Danny smiled shyly, thankful that it was getting dark so she couldn't see the blush that had crept onto his face.

Looking out the window, Lindsay smiled as she watched the buildings fly past in a blur of lights and glamour. The majority of the drive remained pleasant as Danny managed to drive through Brooklyn and over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with surprising ease. As they continued to drive along the waterfront of the Kill Van Kull towards Port Richmond, her hands began to sweat and she fidgeted in her seat.

"Calm down, Montana," said Danny as he reached over to take one of her hands. "Relax, Ma'll love you."

She scoffed but tightened her grip on his hand. "Funny, you ignored me the last time I said that to you."

"This is totally different," he replied.

She stared at him. "How is this different exactly? I'm about to meet your family, who could very well hate me for all I know, and if that's the case..."

"I'll never speak to them again," he finished. Stopping at a red light, he turned to her and cupped her cheek. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Montana. I'm not lettin' that go; I'm not lettin' you go."

"I feel like I'm in a soap opera," she replied with a sigh. "You really think they'll like me?"

Danny replied with a laugh, "The only reason for them to not like you is if they're sick of listenin' to me talk about you."

"Danny Messer what have you told them?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes on him.

"Only that you're the most…beautiful, amazing and talented woman on earth," he replied without a thought. He meant every word and there was no way of convincing him otherwise. From the corner of his eye, he watched her turn away, but not before catching the smile that danced around her lips. He heard a mumbled "flatterer" come from her side and he chuckled. Ma was going to love her.

"Welcome to Port Richmond," Lindsay announced as she read the dark sign. "Is this really where you grew up?"

"It's not Montana, but its home," he admitted. "See that gas station over there?"

She nodded. "Yeah?"

"S'where Lou an' I used to hang out after school. I'd always tag along after him, thought there was nothin' cooler than my big brother." He laughed silently to himself, wondering exactly how everything went wrong.

In silence, she saw him grip the steering-wheel tightly; having some idea of what was going through his mind. Reaching out, she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed gently in support. It was all she could do knowing the one person that could fix that particular rift was lying in a hospital bed, comatose. As they turned into the Port Richmond neighbourhood, her heart began to beat faster. When they pulled up in front of a modest brightly-lit family home framed by an array of flora and fauna, she mused, 'His mother must be quite the gardener.'

Stepping out of the SUV, Danny waited as he let her look around, smiling as she twirled in front of him. "So what do you think?"

"It's beautiful, Danny," she replied, taking in the flowers that lined the pathway up to the front door. She froze as a silhouette of a person flew past the stained glass frame; negativity rooting her to the ground. Danny's arms snaking around her waist made her jump. Her heart skipped a beat.

"It's gonna be fine," he whispered against her ear as his hands travelled down to hers. With their bag in one hand and Lindsay's hand in the other, he slowly led her up the path and onto the porch. "You mind?" he asked, holding up both hands with a grin. "My hands are kinda full here."

With a sheepish grin, she whispered an apology and knocked on the door. Calming her nerves, she turned to Danny to see him grinning excitedly, and couldn't help but smile at his happiness. It was rare enough for her to see him completely relaxed at work, but here, he seemed so at home.

Soon enough, the door clicked and flung open to reveal a dark blonde haired woman with eyes as blue as the son who inherited them. Wearing a flowery dress covered by a seasoned cooking apron, Lindsay smiled as she watched her embrace Danny tightly.

"Happy birthday, Ma," he greeted with a smile. Pulling away, Danny grinned as he steered his mother to the woman standing beside him. "Ma, this is Lindsay."

"Oh!" Profusely rubbing her hands clean against her apron, Isabel Messer held out her hand with a warm and welcoming smile. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, dear."

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Messer," Lindsay replied courteously. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Nonsense! Of course you're not intruding," Isabel replied as she took hold of Lindsay's shoulders and ushered them into the hallway. "And call me Isabel or Ma. Mrs. Messer adds far too many years to my age." Leading the couple into the sitting room, Isabel looked around before clutching her waist in irritation. "CARLO!" she called out loudly.

"Si, sto venendo!" came a deep reply as the man appeared from the kitchen, wiping a trail of sauce from the corner his mouth. "I'm here, I'm here…," said Carlo, his voice trailing off at the glare his wife was shooting him. "What?"

"You couldn't wait until dinner could you?" asked Isabel, a little cross with her husband and his mannerism. "Danny and Lindsay are here."

Carlo smiled and Lindsay couldn't help but think that Danny inherited every bit of both parents. "Make yourself at home, Lindsay. Call me Carlo," he said happily, holding out his hand.

Smiling in return, Lindsay accepted the hand but forced down a yelp as Carlo yanked her in for a hug. "It's good to finally meet the woman who's put my son in his place."

"Pop…" Danny sighed in embarrassment. "What? No welcome home, Danny?" he asked in mock-hurt.

"Come here you," replied Carlo as the two men embraced. "It's good to see you, Danny."

"Good to see you too, Pop." Smiling, Danny pulled Lindsay closer and hung his arm across her shoulders. "Well?"

Chuckling, Carlo placed a fatherly slap to his son's back and replied, "My son has good taste. You are simply stunning, Ms. Monroe."

"You're flirting with my girlfriend, Pop," Danny chastised in distaste as Lindsay covered the laughter on her face in his arm.

"Alright you three, that's enough," said Isabel, smiling as her husband pulled her to his side. "Danny, why don't you take Lindsay upstairs and get settled in while I finish dinner."

Sharing a look with Danny, Lindsay's eyes asked the unasked and she smiled as he nodded in reply. Slipping out of his embrace, she turned to Isabel and said, "If it's alright with you, I'd like to help."

"Of course dear," Isabel replied warmly. "Come, I'll show you to the kitchen."

"Hey, Ma?" Danny grinned as the two women turned around. "If she changes her mind 'bout me, I'm never speakin' to you again you got that?"

With a laugh, Isabel waved him off as she led Lindsay to the kitchen.

Shaking his head, Danny picked up their bag and bounded up the stairs to his childhood room as Carlo wandered in the general direction of the TV.

XXXXXX

Looking down, Kendall laughed at the sight of him, asleep with his head on her lap. As the credits rolled down, she picked up a stray piece of popcorn from beside the bowl and held it above his head. She dropped it and watched as he scrunched up his face as the piece landed squarely on his nose.

"Get up, Adam," she coaxed, tugging on his arm. Her leg was about to doze off from the weight of his head.

Adam mumbled in reply and mindlessly swatted her hands away before turning and burrowing against her stomach.

Giggling, she bent down and whispered in his ear, "Time to save the world."

"We just watched 'Independence Day'," he mumbled against the material of her blouse. "He already saved the world from invading aliens."

Kendall laughed as her fingers played with the hair at the back of his neck. "Come on, Adam. You promised me food. I'm hungry."

"Kitchen's somewhere over there," he pointed with a wavering hand.

She rolled him off the couch with a thud.

Rubbing his sore head, Adam got up and glared at her. "What was that for?"

"For being such a gentleman," she replied sweetly.

Adam grinned. "I'll show you gentleman." Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her down with him as she yelped and giggled. As she slowly rid him of his shirt, he began to plant kisses against her neck, groaning in pleasure at the feel of her squirming beneath him.

"Adam?"

'That's not Kendall's voice,' he thought before his mind caught up in realisation. Jumping up, he turned around to see Rebecca standing by the door in shock. "Ahh…err…hey, Becky," he replied sheepishly.

Kendall, still fully dressed sat up to see what was happening and all but yelped at the sight of Rebecca before shifting to hide behind Adam. 'What the hell am I doing?' she wondered. 'She can still see me.' Giving up she shifted back and smiled at Rebecca. "You must be Rebecca," she started. "I'm Kendall."

"It's nice to meet you," replied Rebecca with a smile. Turning to Adam, she held down a laugh as she watched him, imitating a guppy as his sights shifted from Kendall to herself and back. "You alright there, Adam?"

Mentally shaking himself, Adam leaned back against couch and pulled Kendall closer, smiling as she melted against his side. "What happened to Flack's apartment?" he asked with a grin.

"Funny. You haven't gotten rid of me yet, Adam," she replied with a smirk.

"Could've fooled me," he replied. "Can you go away now?"

With a laugh, she waved him off and replied. "I think I'll go lock myself in my room."

"Thank you!" he replied as Rebecca shut her door. Turning to Kendall, he smiled sheepishly and apologised, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," she reassured with a smile. "It's not like we were…you know."

Adam nodded with a grin. "We weren't doing that – yet," he corrected, earning him a cushion in the face. "Wanna get some food? Pizza's probably cold by now," he asked and stood up.

"I have nothing against cold pizza." Giggling as he pulled her up with him, a little too forcefully, leaving her in his arms – again. Following him into the kitchen, she couldn't resist swatting him on the ass.

Looking though the refrigerator for a couple bottles of water, he found a large tub of ice cream and grinned. "I got ice cream," he offered cheekily.

"Pizza and ice cream?" Kendall asked with her face scrunched in distaste. "Gross."

Leaving the water bottles on the counter, he moved and wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips brushing against her ear teasingly. "I was thinkin' of ice cream and something else," he whispered.

"Like what?" she gasped at the feel of his skin on hers.

"Mmm…" he mumbled. "Depends what you're wearing underneath."

XXXXXX

Leaning back in his seat with a hand hanging on the back of Lindsay's chair, Danny sighed in contentment as he slid down slightly, the other hand resting on his full belly. "Nothin' beats a home cooked meal eh Montana?" he asked with a grin.

Lindsay nodded and turned to Isabel with a smile. "Dinner was amazing, Isabel. Thank you." Turning to Danny, she giggled as he scooted his chair closer to hers, and placed a kiss on her cheek. A tingle ran through her as his mouth hovered over her ear.

"I'm glad you came, Montana," he whispered, resting his hand on her knee. He squeezed it slightly to show sincerity and he smiled as she covered his hand with her own.

"Me too," Lindsay whispered in reply.

Seeing the two sitting in front of her, Isabel smiled at their obvious ease and comfort with each other. Over the past few hours, Isabel had witnessed exactly how happy Lindsay made Danny. With every look his smile would brighten and with every touch it would split his face. He was happy and her motherly instincts told her that Lindsay Monroe was what had made it all happen. Motherly instinct; it told her a lot about her sons and it had never been wrong before. But it was her heart that told her that she was no longer the only woman in Danny's heart and the recipient of his love. Surprisingly enough, she was okay with it.

Shifting back from the table, Isabel stood up and began to collect the plates. Seeing Lindsay move to get up, she waved her back down. "Lindsay, don't worry. I've got it."

"No, it's the least I could do," Lindsay replied as she piled their glasses onto a tray that Isabel handed her.

With an appreciative smile, Isabel stayed quiet until the plates and glasses were all on the trays, ready to be carried to the kitchen. Glancing at the two men melted over their chairs sporting similar grins, Isabel motioned for Lindsay to wait a bit as she stood straight and clutched her waist, narrowing her eyes on her husband and son.

Noticing his mother's stance, Danny's grin disappeared. "Uh-oh."

"What uh-oh?" asked Carlo. His eyes remained closed as his grin stayed in place.

From her spot, Lindsay contained her laughter at the duo. She noticed the physical resemblance between father and son; the same deep blue eyes, cocky grin and hearty laugh. They were so alike and yet so different. Danny had the playfulness he had inherited from Carlo but she could also see his mother in him. His eyes, however fun-loving exuded intelligence. His grin, however cocky remained trusting. In the end, he remained Danny; a mix of both parents with bits and pieces of his own thrown in. Lost in her musings, she was brought back at Danny's reply.

"Ma has that 'you're in trouble' look." With Lindsay still standing closely beside him, Danny looked up at her and shared a 'what did I do?' look; she simply grinned and shrugged innocently in reply.

Grumbling from the movement, Carlo lifted his head and peered at his wife through half-opened eyes and grinned cheekily. "Honey, why're ya poutin'?"

Rolling her eyes, Isabel turned to Danny. "I cleaned the house and I cooked my own birthday dinner. Why is it that the only thank you I get is from Lindsay?" Alternating her stares between the two men, she watched as they turned to each other before turning back. A chorus of "Thanks, Ma," and "Thank you, dear," came from them, leaving the two women to chuckle. Rolling her eyes, Isabel picked up a tray of dishes as Lindsay grabbed the other and headed through the door.

"Men; they all come with working hours," said Isabel, placing the tray beside the sink. As Lindsay did the same, Isabel smiled and placed a hand on her arm. "Thank you for helping."

"It's my pleasure," Lindsay replied genuinely. Picking up a dish towel, she turned to Isabel. "You wash and I'll dry."

"You should be out there. You're our guest," said Isabel matter-of-factly while handing a wet plate over.

"It's your birthday," she countered. "We should both be out there relaxing."

Laughing, Isabel nodded. "I'd end up doing them tomorrow anyway."

"Danny always helps at home," informed Lindsay. "He's not usually this lazy."

"He always pops in to help after a while," replied Isabel. "I raised him to be a gentleman, not a slump."

Lindsay smiled as her thoughts of him invaded her mind, her hands left to do the drying on their own. "He's amazing."

"You must be too," Isabel replied. "You'd have to be to make my son settle down."

Blushing at the comment, Lindsay remained quiet.

'She's modest,' thought Isabel as she looked over from the corner of her eye. "I hope you're enjoying yourself."

"I am," Lindsay replied. "It's nice to see Danny so…"

"At home?"

"Yeah," Lindsay agreed with a nod. Suddenly a question popped in her mind. "Have you…ever met any of his old girlfriends?" she asked shyly.

"He's never brought any of them home," Isabel replied. "Not since Aiden was here."

Lindsay turned to her. "Aiden?" she repeated. Danny never talked about his former partner. Not to her at least. But until now, she never wondered why.

"I liked her," admitted Isabel and with a sigh, she continued, "It's a shame what happened to her."

With a nod, Lindsay turned back to the dishes. "Were she and Danny…?"

"I don't know," Isabel replied. "They might have been. I know they were close, you'll have to ask Danny about the rest."

After a brief moment of silence, Lindsay attempted conversation as she dried the last of the dishes. "Your garden is beautiful." Moving over to the counter, she began to help Isabel transfer the leftover food into plastic containers. "My mother was always too busy helping with the ranch to keep a garden. She and I used to look through gardening books. It was as close as we got."

"The garden is beautiful in the spring; I'll just have to make sure you and Danny visit," said Isabel.

"Mom would love the pictures."

Isabel shook her head. "No one takes pictures of my garden." She paused before continuing with a starry, knowing smile, "Guess you'll just have to make sure she comes too."

Lindsay grinned.

XXXXXX

Danny suppressed a yawn as he listened to his father talk about some fishing trip he had taken some 25 years ago. He briefly noted a man named Karl, a deer and some wild night coupled with a lot of drinking that left his mother seeing nothing but red for two straight weeks. As Carlo continued, Danny felt his mind wander, and as usual, it settled on a familiar brunette with a smile that could render him mute, deaf and paralyzed. Briefly, he wondered if she could set that smile to kill. 'Another reason not to piss her off,' he thought.

Noticing his son zone out with a dopey smile on his face, Carlo began to sing, simply wondering if Danny was coherent enough to notice. As far as he knew, he could've tap danced around the room twice without his son realising his beer was down to a drop. He took an educated guess as to what, or rather who was tangoing around his son's head. "You're thinkin' 'bout Lindsay aren't you."

Danny mumbled an incoherent reply as images continued to play in his head. Jumping at the sound of a loud thump as Carlo slammed his beer onto the table, he turned to his father in shock and confusion. "What's that for?"

"You hear a word I said for the past 20 minutes, Son?" he asked knowingly. At Danny's silence, he grinned. "I didn't think so."

"Sorry Pop," Danny said as he brought his beer to his lips, only to realise it was empty. Placing it back on the table, he met his father's smirk. "What?"

"What exactly have you got runnin' in that head o' yours?" he asked.

Montana, her smile, her eyes, her lips – oh god her lips, her hands, her cute little nose, her firm tight… "Nothin'," he replied sheepishly.

Carlo snorted and took another swig, eyeing his son suspiciously before rattling off about what his mother did last week.

Danny's mind began to zone out once again, absentmindedly nodding here and there, pretending that he was listening. He was – somewhat, his thoughts ricocheting off certain words that managed to pierce the pretence. Hearing his father mention marriage, the wheels in his mind began to turn as thoughts began pouring in. Engagement…marriage…kids…family. Four years ago he'd sworn that none of those things were for him. He had a fear of commitment, he'd never even come close to wanting to spend more than a month with someone and although he was good with kids, he just couldn't see himself as a father. He'd told his mother the same exact thing, remembering that night when she told him, with a forced smile, that she'd be happy no matter what happened. He realised that it was just a mask she'd put on for him, knowing that she wanted grandchildren, just like many other mothers in the city. He'd disappointed a part of her that night, but now it seemed as if there was hope in changing that. A hand on his arm brought him back to the present and he looked up to see concern marring his father's typically jovial face.

"Son, you okay?" asked Carlo, slightly worried at his son's odd behaviour; he'd never seen Danny space out so often before.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Danny replied as his eyes averted up to the ceiling, in the direction of his room upstairs.

A rush of déjà vu his Carlo as he noticed Danny's eyes alternating between the table, his face and the ceiling. Turning, he followed his son's line of sight and realised what Danny was seeing. He smiled knowingly and looked Danny in the eye. "You have a ring, don't you?"

Locking his eyes onto his father, Danny stared at him, mouth seemingly moving on mute before finally managing a few coherent words. "No…I mean, yea…how'd you…?"

"Know?"

Danny nodded.

"I did the same thing," Carlo replied, a smile hovering over his lips as the memory sank in. "Only your Ma caught me."

"Ma?" Danny questioned.

"It was about 34 years ago," stared Carlo, his fingers fidgeting with the beer bottle. "I was gonna propose to your Ma that night. Had the candles, the nice food your Uncle Karl cooked, flowers, music; the whole shebang. I kept fingerin' the ring in my pocket and halfway though dinner, your Ma looks up t'me and says 'Carlo, if you're gonna ask me to marry you, do it now cos you're ruinin' my dinner'."

Remaining speechless as he watched his father grin and chuckle, Danny simply leaned back in his chair. "I...I don't…what if…" he stuttered.

"Son, if you knew the answer, it wouldn't be askin'," Carlo pointed out.

"What do you think? And Ma, what if…"

"I think she's a great girl. Your Ma loves her. And you'd love her anyway no matter what we thought."

Nodding, Danny stood up in silence as he took it all in. How everything had suddenly turned to marriage stumped him, but it was a thought he couldn't shake. Giving his father a sheepish smile, a half wave later found his head peeking in through the kitchen door. "You guys need any help cleanin' up in here?" he asked with a matching grin, leaving the two women smiling at his charm.

"We're done," replied Isabel smugly.

The scent beyond sight, Danny's nose led him further into the kitchen, ignoring the knowing smile his mother threw him. "Are those canolis?"

"Turn around, and go out the way you came, Danny," Isabel instructed with Lindsay shaking her head beside her.

Danny stopped, shrugged and turned his attention to Lindsay. "You wanna go get some air outside?" he asked, thumb pointing behind him. "All this…" He paused and drew wide circles with his hands. "…is makin' me hungry."

"Danny, you're always hungry," Lindsay pointed out before walking up to him. Placing a chaste kiss against his lips, she turned in his arms to look at Isabel.

Understanding the un-asked question in her eyes, Isabel smiled and nodded. "You go."

"Thanks, Ma." Leading her out to the porch, Danny sighed as they sat together on the step, content with watching the silent neighbourhood. Checking his watch, he realised that it was getting pretty late; close to 11.30pm and yet there were still a few people wandering around the sidewalks; some fitting in a late-night run. Turning to Lindsay, he watched her stare off into the night as his arm around her shoulder lazily drew patterns on her arm. "What'ya thinkin' 'bout, Montana?" he asked, voice low in a bare whisper.

Turning to face him, Lindsay smiled as his eyes seemed to twinkle against the darkness of the night. Leaning her head into the crook of his neck, she began to smooth her hands over his shirt, feeling the hard muscle beneath. "Nothing," she replied, her soft voice a contrast with the silent night.

"Montana…" His hand continued to rub her arm as the other sought out its partner.

"Tell me about Aiden." Lifting her head, her eyes met his and she felt him squeeze his hand. Her sight dropped to their caressing fingers, her silence pleading. "Your mom told me you were close."

"Aiden and I…we were…I"

"Did you love her?" Lindsay asked. Her voice wasn't demanding yet her heart yearned to know.

Dropping his gaze, he affirmed softly, "Yeah. I loved her like…"

"Was I ever her replacement?"

"Wait…what? No…of course not!" he replied hastily. Getting up, he kneeled in front of her, cupping and lifting her chin so they faced each other. "I love you Lindsay, but I could never love you the way I loved Aiden."

Her eyes widened at his words as a pang rang right through her heart. "What're you saying?" Her confusion grew at his grin.

"She was my sister, Montana. I loved her like my own sister. You, you're different. I love you like…" His voice trailed off to a whisper as his heartbeat began to accelerate rhythmically.

"Like?"

"Like I want to spend the rest of my life with you." he explained softly, his eyes making her believe. Hastily, he stood up and held out his hand. "Follow me."

Looking up, she eyed him in a state of confusion and blissful love. "Danny, what're you…?"

"Just trust me, Montana," he replied with his all too familiar smirk.

Grasping his hand, she remained silent as he gently pulled her to her feet before leading them back into the house. Making their way upstairs and into his old bedroom, she eyed him suspiciously as he let go and began to rummage through a drawer filled with his old clothes. Suppressing a giggle at the sight of him cursing his splintered finger, a smile fluttered to her face as he exclaimed in excitement at finding what ever it was that he was looking for. Stepping forward, she accepted the photo he handed her. It was a little rough around the edges but she could tell it couldn't have been taken more than a few years ago. She grinned at the sight of the four Messers standing against a backdrop of trees and flowers of sorts.

"Ma made us take it just after my little locked-in-the-closet fiasco," he told her.

"It was a made-into-a-bedroom safe and you were stuck with a dead body," she corrected. Carefully looking at the picture, she couldn't help but feel the happiness their smiles were exuding. "You look so happy."

"It was the last time I saw Lou before…you know."

Nodding in silence, she continued to scrutinise every single detail in the picture, unaware of Danny taking out a small object from his pocket. Flipping the photo, Lindsay smiled as she read Danny's familiar scrawl; 'Family Photo, Ma's birthday, '05. '

"I want you in that photo, Montana."

"What?" Taking her eyes off the photo, Lindsay gasped as Danny fell to one knee, wobbling slightly as the carpet beneath his feet shifted, holding a small, opened velvet box in his hand. Holding back a laugh at his sheepish look, her breath hitched as he spoke the four words; the four words she'd only accept from him.

"Will you marry me?"

No matter what scientists could prove, she knew that the world had stopped spinning. "Yes," she whispered, letting a lone tear fall.

Sighing in relief, Danny stood up with a smile as slipped the ring; a simple 0.3 carat round cut diamond set on a white gold band, onto her finger before pressing his lips against hers.

Breaking into teary laughter, Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck as they remained pressed against each other. "I love you," she managed between the sobs of happiness.

"Love you too," Danny replied with a grin. He chuckled as Isabel's voice rang through the house, letting his head rest against Lindsay's as he closed his eyes. "Ma's canolis are ready."

Giggling, Lindsay placed a kiss on his lips before pulling away, sliding her hand down his arm to clutch at his own. "Come on," she coaxed, tugging softly as she led them both downstairs.

A loud squeal welcomed them.

* * *

**_A/N: Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**


	33. Plain Is Perfect

**_A/N: Thank you, as always, to Sally Jetson for the beta, without whose help would leave this a mess of grammatical errors._**

**_Please note the pen name change; all future chapters will be posted by Gaelen Kerr._****_

* * *

_**

Moaning at the morning light, stray streams that the curtain failed to catch, Danny attempted to hide; turning away from the window to snuggle against the warm body beside him. Hearing a soft giggle, he groaned as the body, the source of his warmth, got up. Opening an eye, he stared sleepily at her sitting form, a soft smile glowing on her visage, framed snugly by her hair. He groaned as his hand sought hers in an attempt to pull her back down to him. "Montana, it's our day off," he mumbled against his pillow, hand still wandering around for hers, eyes drooping back down to close.

Lindsay giggle again as she turned to roll above him, letting her body drape across the length of his like a heavy blanket.

Preferring to use her as a bolster, Danny wrapped his arms around her waist and unexpectedly turned onto his side, taking her with him. Grinning at her squeal, he rested his head above the valley of her breast, ears listening to the unusually rapid heart beat which he undoubtedly caused. A shiver ran along his spine as fingernails raked down his back before gentle hands roamed up his sides, making a complete round. He moaned as the fingers immersed themselves into his hair, grabbing tightly before yanking his head back with a force. Not a sound managed to escape before his lips were smashed against hers, tongues dancing; content to be led for the time being as he rolled back.

Pulling away in need of air, Lindsay smiled at the whimper her fiancé let escape, the thrill of a facet of control causing a rush to run through her every time. Bumping her forehead against his, her heart involuntarily skipped a beat at the lazy grin he was sporting. Accompanied by heavy-lidded eyes, she felt herself melt against him at the sight of his content. Shifting slightly, her lips brushed against his once again, this time a short yet sweet peck with a breathless "Good morning".

"Mornin'," Danny replied tiredly, his hands languidly shifting across her back. His smiling gaze was the tell-tale sign of his feelings, which at that point comprised of nothing but happiness. He proposed and she had said yes; an imaginative dream that had left him a long time ago only to be brought back in reality. They were getting married. He was scared senseless, but he was happy about it; a state he was still struggling to wrap his mind around. What lay ahead was unchartered waters, an unmapped trail; he was stuck in a foreign country with no knowledge of the language, leaving any street sign purposeless. Yet a part of him was fine, content to follow the road to discover what unfamiliar experiences life had yet to bestow on him.

Lindsay laughed lightly as she shifted back onto the mattress, letting Danny wrap his arms around her. "You don't want to spend our entire day off in bed do you?" she asked, realisation sinking in as the words left her mouth.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," he replied with cheekily. "No objections here, Montana."

"You wanted us to spend the day with your parents," she reminded him, he'd told her so last night; a day at one of the local parks, get some sun, laughs, a picnic and some needed mother and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law bonding time.

Snuggling against the crook of her neck, Danny replied, "Just want to spend the day with you," his voice muffled by her skin.

"We see each other every day," said Lindsay, bringing a hand across his hair. "It's not everyday we visit your parents."

"It's not every day we get engaged," he countered. Pulling his head back, he looked at her and smiled. "We can do anything you want."

With a giggle, she leaned further into his embrace. "First of all, I want you to wake up."

"I am up."

"Kiss me," she whispered.

"Gladly," he replied, leaning in to place a gentle kiss to her lips.

Sighing in contentment, she had an idea and smiled mischievously. "Do the chicken dance."

"I ain't playin' Simon says, Montana," he informed, eyes twinkling, before flipping her over and pinning her below him. Trailing a line of butterfly kisses down her neck, he stopped with a groan at the knock on the bedroom door. "Yeah?"

Opening the door a fraction, Isabel poked her head in and smiled. "Good Morning, are you two up?"

"Mornin', Ma." Feeling his libido wane at the sight of his mother, Danny collapsed beside Lindsay, away from his mother. "You need somethin', Ma?"

"Thought I'd bring you two, breakfast," Isabel replied, pushing the door open further to reveal the tray of food she was carrying. "I brought up a little of everything, just in case there was something you didn't like."

"I ate insects with Danny once," Lindsay told her. "After that ordeal, there's not much that I don't eat."

Nodding, Isabel placed the tray on the bedside table, before exiting the room with a smile.

Danny groaned and covered his face with his hands. "That was embarrassing."

"She's sweet." Reaching across to the tray, Lindsay picked up a grape from the fruit bowl and popped it into her mouth before settling back in Danny's embrace. "I never got breakfast in bed unless there was a chance of a fatality going down the stairs. Daddy made sure we weren't babied."

Propping his head up with his arm, Danny continued to gently stroke the skin on her arm. "You and your sister? Your parents couldn't have been that cruel."

"We learned to fight things off. He didn't want us to be weak."

"Country girls," whispered Danny as he placed a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. "I still haven't met her."

"Kate?" She felt him nod, his morning stubble roughly brushing her skin. "She's a busy woman."

Danny snorted. For some unidentifiable reason, he had an inkling of dislike towards the younger Monroe. "Too busy to help you during your trial?" he asked, fighting to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"She did come home to Bozeman," Lindsay replied. Brushing her lips against his, she placed a hand on his cheek, caressing his skin with her thumb. "She had to leave the day before you arrived."

He remained silent, his nerves fixated on the feel of her skin against his.

"You'll like her."

He grunted and pulled her closer, enjoying the feel of her against him; something he'd never be tired of. Danny opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted as his phone began to sing its familiar tune. Groaning in irritation, he lifted himself slightly and reached across to the table for the offending gadget. He flipped it open without checking the caller's ID, "Messer." Listening quietly and replying where appropriate, Danny tossed the phone onto the table as the call ended. "We got a case," he told her, his irritation made clear by the sharp tone of his voice.

"Danny…" Lindsay knew that he was more than annoyed. It was hard enough to get a day off for the both of them, but being called in meant that whatever plans he had were forced to be shelved.

"What?" he snapped. Realising his mistake, his anger deflated somewhat as he stared sheepishly at her. "Sorry."

Fishing the floor for the top she had worn the previous night, Lindsay pulled it on before sitting back against the headboard, inviting him to join her. As he shifted, she leaned back into his embrace. The dead body could wait as she cheered her fiancé up a bit. Taking his hand, she placed her left on top of it, letting the stone shine in the stream of sunlight that had seeped through the lazily pulled curtained window.

Seeing the ring on her finger seemed to calm what was left of his anger, replacing every sense of him in the happiness and joy he'd felt when she'd first said yes. He turned to her and clutched the open hand, smiling as he leaned across to kiss her. "I love you," he whispered, the product of a build up of intense warmth bubbling in his heart, a giddiness that threatened to explode.

"I love you too," she replied, just as sincerely, bringing her lips to his once again. "I know you're annoyed that we got called in, but look at it this way; you get to show me off."

Danny chuckled. "You wanted everyone to find out by themselves," he reminded her. "We work with CSIs; they're trained to be observant."

"I can make a few compromises," said Lindsay with a shrug. "Besides, you're dying to shout it out."

"You don't have to," his voice remained in a teasing tone, "and I'm not _dying_ to let everyone know. I won't say anything."

"What do _you_ want, Danny?" she asked. She knew his intentions were good but often enough she questioned whether he was giving up more to simply please her, regardless of his own feelings.

"Just you"

He had her.

XXXXXX

It was an odd case; the stabbing victim had managed to survive by a stroke of luck. The knife's blade had missed any vital organs, leaving James Duponte, one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors, with only a flesh wound. Nevertheless, the blood loss was severe, earning the victim a ticket to the emergency room. Surveying the rest of the apartment from her kneeled position, Lindsay's gaze locked on the blood trail that led from the entrance to the master bedroom to her spot, smears of bloody red tainting the expensive upholstery. Swabbing the stains, a luminol spray confirmed it as blood. After collecting samples from each streak of blood, Lindsay stood up and placed the cluster of swabs into the evidence box. Having exhaustively searched through every single inch of the apartment for traces of evidence, she took off her gloves and threw them back into her kit. Carefully unhooking her ring from the chain around her neck, she placed it securely back onto her finger. Danny had thrown her a look of confusion when she first slipped it onto her chain before she simply told him that rings and gloves don't play well together. He had nodded in understanding, grinning as he watched her finger the brilliantly gleaming ring before she had slipped in into her shirt collar.

"You about done in here?" asked Rebecca as she stepped out of the master bedroom. "Danny's almost done and I think Don's irking him a bit."

Lindsay giggled as she tossed a glance in the men's direction before tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Whether fortunate or not, her movement made her ring catch the sun, causing the stone to shimmer brightly, which went unnoticed by Lindsay. Turning back to Rebecca, her smile faltered at the shocked expression on Rebecca's face. "What is it?" she asked in concern.

"He proposed." It wasn't a question but a statement. At Lindsay's nod, Rebecca stepped across for a tight hug, her smile not as wide as Lindsay's but still formidable. "Congratulations," she said, "It's about time he did it."

Walking towards the girls with his things in hand, Danny smiled as he watched them embrace, their smiles telling him exactly what was going on. Reaching the two, he set his kit and the evidence down.

Turning to Danny, Rebecca smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations."

Danny stepped closer to Lindsay. They both smiled.

"Congratulations?" asked Flack in confusion. "Something I missed?"

Looking over to Lindsay, Danny smiled at her nod before turning back to his friend. "We're gettin' married." he told Flack, his heart once again at the brim of bursting.

Confusion changed to realisation and happiness for the couple as Flack's eye caught the shimmer of the ring on Lindsay's finger. He grinned, shook Danny's hand and gave Lindsay a hug. He was glad to see his friends take their relationship to the next level. "Nice goin', Messer," he quipped before turning to Lindsay, mock disappointment added to his sly smirk. "You sure you want to spend the rest of your life with this bum?"

"Hey!" Danny protested, narrowing his eyes with a deathly glare on his friend.

Giggling, Lindsay leaned closer and wrapped her arm around his. "Looking forward to every single second," she said with a smile, turning to Danny and accepting the kiss he offered.

"Good to know," Flack replied. He turned to Rebecca, smiling at her dreamy look. "Pierce, ya alright there?" he asked, waving his hand back and forth across her face.

Rebecca blinked and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," she said, a hint of a blush forming on her cheeks. "Lost myself there for a minute."

"Anything worth the priceless look?" asked Flack. He grinned and ducked, attempting to evade her fist. "Whoa! Easy there partner."

With a snort, Rebecca turned to Danny and Lindsay, who stood plastered together, watching the spectacle in amusement. Their arms wrapped around each other's waist, Rebecca held in a dreamy sigh. The scene was straight out of the usual love story.

Parting from each other, Danny and Lindsay shared a smile before bending down to pick up their evidence. They remained silent for a moment, watching Flack and Rebecca continued to tease and poke fun. With a grin, Danny cleared his throat as he and Lindsay pivoted their bodies towards the exit.

"Well as fun as it is to watch you two flirt…" said Danny, throwing his voice over the other couple's. "…we've still got a job to do. If this case could solve itself, I and Montana wouldn't be here.

Lindsay nodded with a smile. "We'll update you on what we find."

"Great." Sobering up, Flack returned the smile as the four headed for the door. "We've got a few leads to follow. Turns out, our vic had a supermodel girlfriend."

"Supermodel girlfriend?" Danny repeated. "No surprise there; they always go for the rich guys."

Lindsay nudged his side, remaining nonchalant as he flinched. "A little jealous there, Messer?" she asked, walking by him without looking back.

"Nope," he replied happily as he caught up to her. "Why would I? Got my own supermodel." Bumping his hips against hers, he grinned, watching the blush creep over Lindsay's face.

"Cute," Flack stated. "But you and I still got a date with her, Messer."

Rebecca leaned conspiratorially towards Lindsay, her voice a well placed whisper which was loud enough for the men to hear. "Don thinks the lady'll warm up to men faster than us." She snorted, emphasising her thoughts on the matter.

Lindsay laughed and shared a glance with Danny, who simply smiled at her. Turning back to Rebecca, she jovially said, "I'm not worried."

XXXXXX

"So you're not worried some supermodel might convince me to run off with her?" Danny asked as he and Lindsay entered the trace lab, emptying their evidence boxes onto the light table for a general analysis. He looked at her with his cocky smirk as she continued to work without so much as looking at him.

Finally, she gave in and turned to him. "No, I'm not," she replied, smirking right back.

"Why not?" he asked whilst checking the victim's clothes, which they had picked up at the hospital on their way back to the lab, for foreign trace. He smiled, isolating a dark green fibre from the otherwise white, blood-covered shirt.

"Remember when you told your mother you'd never speak to her if she made me change my mind about you?" she asked, placing a dirt sample taken from the carpet at the scene under the microscope. It was a match to the earth in the pots throughout the apartment.

Danny frowned, trying to connect any unconnected dots he may have missed. "Yeah?"

"Your 'Ma' gave me a…remixed version of it."

"Remixed?"

Lindsay smiled as she continued to test the dirt samples. "Hurt me, no more canolis."

"Harsh." Grinning, he walked over to her, standing impossibly close, resting his hand on the small of her back. "Got anything?"

Lindsay shifted to let him peer through the lens. "The dirt I found on the carpet matches the dirt in the potted garden." Sifting through the names on their suspect list, she stopped at one; Hayden Rook – gardener. "He had someone hired to take care of his potted plants. How rich do you have to be before you do that?"

"Guess you can do what you want when you're swimmin' in cash, Montana," Danny replied as he moved back. "I found a grab mark on the shirt sleeve; could be from our would-be murderer."

She followed him around the table to examine the mark herself. "Our killer attacked from behind, he held the vic on the arm, tightly."

"Think our vic knew our guy?" Danny asked, pushing his glasses up.

"What makes you think it's a guy?"

He chuckled and pointed at the darkened print. "If that was a girl, she'd have real big hands, Montana."

"Oh, right." Lindsay turned away and took a look at the fibre he had found.

Noting Lindsay's sudden change in behaviour, Danny walked up to her, rubbing his hands along the length of her arms as he watched her run the fibre through the GCMS. "What's wrong?"

With a sigh, she turned to him and smiled weakly. "Nothing, just a little tired – and hungry."

"We're off in an hour; I'll take you out to lunch. Lady's choice," he offered with a grin.

Lindsay nodded with a laugh, turning back to the screen as the machine brought up the results. "There's nothing peculiar about the fibres," she told him. "Cotton, commonly found in any sort of textile you can think of."

Suddenly, Danny remembered something. "The gardener, when we met him this morning, had a green uniform didn't he?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Robert Denison said he showed up to work late, someone had already called 911."

"So he says."

XXXXXX

Crossing yet another name from their suspect list, Flack checked his watch and beamed. "Lunch time!" he bellowed, turning to Rebecca with a wide grin.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you," she replied, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "But lead the way, I'm hungry."

"Pizza?" he offered, cranking up the engine as Rebecca got in. "There's a nice place just 'round the block."

Rebecca nodded. "Sure, sounds good."

Natural for having been in New York for only a short time, Rebecca took in the small pizzeria, squished between two high end retailers, with a small smile. The pizzeria was aged, fighting for its place amongst the rapid pace of modernisation. Led in by a gentle hand on the small of her back, she smiled as the old man by the cashier greeted them sweetly. He knew Flack by name.

Finding a comfy spot near the back, they sat down together and took a gander at the menus before placing their orders. "How'd you find this place?" she asked, looking around to admire the aging décor.

"I used to tag along with my dad on his rounds; he brought me here all the time." Flack grinned at the memory, his eyes following his fingers as they traced the rim of the empty wine glass standing proudly in front of him. It had been a long time ago, far too long.

Rebecca remained silent as she lost him to his memories. His expression was all smiles yet shrouded in a veil of pain. She smiled as he recovered, feeling his grin warming her from within. "So is the pizza any good?" she asked, making small talk.

"Any good? Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed, eyes wide in shock. "Best there ever was."

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her water. "That's all you New Yorkers say, isn't it?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," Flack replied with a swig from his own glass; being on duty meant no beer.

Rebecca giggled. "I'm just kidding, Don."

"Yeah, yeah," he replied with a smile. "I still can't believe Messer had the balls to propose. I sure don't."

"Got something against tying the knot?" she teased, eyebrows arched.

He shook his head. "No, just don't think I'm up to it yet."

Letting a moment of silence pass, Rebecca spoke up, with her dreamy smile back in its place. "They looked so happy."

"They're _always_ happy together," Flack replied, rolling his eyes. "You could take Danny's bike away and he'd be happy as long as you didn't scratch Lindsay in the process."

"He's in love, it's cute," she giggled.

Flack grinned.

"When's your day off?" Rebecca asked before thanking the waitress who had brought their food. Taking in the smell, she sighed happily. "This smells great."

"Told you," he replied. "I've got Tuesday off. Why?"

Picking up a slice and taking a bite, she laughed at his amusement, cheese dangling down from her fingers, smiling around a mouthful of good pizza. "I'm off on Tuesday too, thought we could go for a picnic. You've still got to take me around the sights."

"It's a date," he replied with a wink. "We'll do it like the tourists."

Polishing off the rest of the pizza amongst jokes and teasing, Rebecca moaned in bliss as she swallowed the last bite. Leaning back against her seat, she sipped on her water, waiting for the return of her ability to move. "We've got to get back to work," she told him. "You've got that supermodel to question."

"Let's go then," Flack replied, perking up at the mention of the victim's girlfriend.

Rebecca groaned.

XXXXXX

Danny flipped his phone closed as he and Lindsay slowly walked back to the parked SUV, hand in hand, bellies full. He sighed sheepishly, turned to her and said, "That was Flack; he's goin' to go see our vic's girlfriend for questioning."

"You take the car, I'll just walk back," said Lindsay with a smile.

Danny laughed at the suggestion. "I do that and Ma'll kill me."

"Ever the gentleman," Lindsay said with smile as he opened the passenger door for her.

"Survival instinct," he informed her before closing the door shut.

Managing to arrive at the address Flack had given him in record time after dropping Lindsay off at the lab, Danny offered the tall detective an apologetic smile as they both strode into the apartment building, located a few blocks east of the victim's.

"That her?" asked Danny, pointing to a blonde haired bombshell sitting quietly in the lounge, fingering the gold pendant around her neck.

Flack shrugged as they made their way over. "One way to find out," he replied, clearing his throat to get the woman's attention. "Excuse me, Ms. Thrall?"

The woman looked up. "Yes?" she answered, her voice wavering slightly.

"I'm Detective Flack and this is Detective Messer," Flack introduced with a smile.

"We're just here to ask you a few questions," said Danny, taking the seat opposite her.

The woman nodded. "Call me Kimberly," she replied, eyes drawn back to the pendant between her fingers. "James gave this to me," she explained softly. "Do you know if he's going to be okay?"

"He's suffered extensive blood loss, but the doctors are optimistic," Danny replied, having gotten an update from the hospital a while ago. "Ms. Thrall…err…Kimberly, when was the last time you saw James?"

"This morning, before I -" Cut off by the shrill of Flack's phone ringing.

Checking the caller ID, Flack turned to other two. "Excuse me," he said before walking off to take the call.

Turning back to Danny, Kimberly continued, "I, err…saw him this morning. I had to leave for an early photo shoot."

"Did you see anyone else there?" he asked, jotting down the details on his pad. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

Kimberly shook her head. "It was just the two of us just like every other morning. I said goodbye, said hi to Robert and left."

"Robert?"

"My ex-boyfriend; he keeps track of James' plants."

'Funny,' Danny thought, remembering that Lindsay had him Robert was supposedly late that morning. "Was Robert there this morning?"

Nodding, Kimberly replied, "Just like every other morning."

_Motive AND opportunity._ "So your ex is your boyfriend's gardener?"

"Well…yeah, I guess. I've known Bobbie since before I became a model. He introduced me to James," she explained.

Danny nodded. "Sounds like motive."

"Robert wouldn't do that – he's harmless."

Snorting, Danny flipped his book closed. "You sure about that?"

"He's Bobbie," she stressed. "He's a pacifist."

"Doesn't mean _Bobbie_ ain't the jealous type," he pointed out. "Takes you to work one day, you meet his boss and the next thing he knows, Boom! He's lost you."

Kimberly shook her head as a few tears fell. "It wasn't like that. Bobbie and I weren't….we weren't that serious."

"He know that?" Danny asked.

"What do you mean?" Kimberly asked.

Danny sat up, slipping his book into his coat pocket. "Ever know how it feels to love someone who doesn't return it?"

"No…" Kimberly replied in confusion.

"Well let me tell you, it hurts. Ever think Bobbie might've felt differently about you?" Bit by bit, the case seemed to come together. Jealous ex murders the boyfriend for stealing her away; typical. "Even worse, he has to see you with his _boss_, your boyfriend, every morning, think that made him feel good?"

"Fiancé"

"S'cuze me?" said Danny, narrowing his eyes on Kimberly.

"Fiancé; James proposed last night," she told him, fresh tears bursting. "Expensive dinner, the jewellery…" she thrust her finger towards Danny, the large stone on her finger evident. "Everything was perfect. He…he said that I deserved the world, and he'd buy it for me…bit by bit."

_Lindsay deserved the world._ Mentally shaking his head, Danny sighed as he looked at the woman in front of him. "Congratulations," he said softly, wondering if she even heard him.

Kimberly nodded as the tears continued to rain. "I'm sorry," she wiped at her eyes. "Is there any…anything else you need?"

"No, that's all," Danny replied as he stood up. "Thanks for the help." He watched her get up and head for the elevator, shoulders still shaking through the tears.

Jogging up to Danny, Flack laid a hand on the man's shoulder, trying to get his breathing under control. "Sorry about that, Chief needed something on another case." He took a moment to compose himself. "We get anything from Ms. Hotshot?"

"Yeah," Danny replied sombrely. "Name, motive and opportunity."

"Who?" Flack questioned.

"The gardener," Danny answered. "I got to get back to the lab, you okay with this guy?"

"Yeah, yeah, you go ahead. I'll get some of my guys to pick him up." Noticing the slightly troubled look on his friend's face, Flack let him go, wondering exactly what was up.

XXXXXX

Stepping into the shared office, Stella looked up to see Lindsay at her computer, typing what seemed to be a case report. "Hey, Lindsay," she greeted. "How's that case going?"

"Hey, Stel," Lindsay replied with a smile. "Case closed – the guy confessed."

Stella laughed, walking up to her table to lean against it. "Wish all our cases were that easy," she mused aloud.

"We'd all be out of the job," Lindsay pointed out. "Mac alone could handle New York City - and Jersey if he tried hard enough."

The two women shared a laugh, contemplating the thought of Mac, their boss, colleague and friend, doing a solo act. It brought a sense of amusement, as well as sudden fear at the implications of what their supervisor was capable of; he was talented enough as it was.

Sobering up, Stella turned to Lindsay at the memory of Danny. "Hey, is there something wrong with Danny?"

"Danny? Not that I know of – why?" Lindsay frowned, as far as she knew, Danny wasn't back from questioning the model yet. She'd meant to call him but Rebecca had offered to tell Flack, calling twice would've been pointless.

Sighing, Stella attempted to explain their encounter, "He just came back from a lead I think, looking a little – I dunno – troubled."

"I didn't know he was back," Lindsay told her. "Where is he?"

Stella shrugged. "I think he was headed for the locker room, thought I'd give you a heads up."

"Thanks Stel," Lindsay replied with a nod.

"Go talk to him, he looks like he needs it," Stella suggested. "I'll talk to you later?"

Lindsay nodded, "Sure." Watching as Stella turned and left, she logged off the computer and stood up, making a beeline for the locker room.

True to Stella's words, Lindsay stepped into the locker room and found Danny on the floor, back against the lockers, his arms resting on bent knees, his head hung in a posture for the defeated, or otherwise undeserving. She wondered what could possibly have left him this way, the complete opposite of his otherwise cheery day, save the moment of sudden intrusion that morning. Managing to get close enough without him realising it, she sat down beside him, placing a supportive hand on his arm.

Feeling the sudden presence of another beside him, Danny lifted his head and looked over to see Lindsay, the very same that continued to plague his thoughts, sitting beside him in worry. He offered her a smile, which he figured wasn't too convincing as she narrowed her eyes on him and frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, continuously rubbing up and down his arm.

Danny shook his head. "Just thinkin', that's all."

"About what?" she asked softly.

He turned to her, running a finger a long her perfectly shaped jaw, eyes drinking in the sight of her as if he lived on it. "Figuring out if it was all a big mistake," he replied in a whisper.

"What are you talking about, Danny?" Lindsay asked, slightly alarmed. "What's a mistake?"

"Asking you to marry me…"

Lindsay sighed. "Dan…"

"You know, when I was talking to that model, all I could think about was you," he explained, turning away to stare at the row of lockers, plain and simple – just like he was. "She told me that they got engaged last night."

"So?"

"He said she deserved the world; he could buy her anything she ever wanted." He faced her once more. "You deserve that too. I had to save three paychecks for your ring. I can't buy you squat."

"So what're you saying?" she asked softly. She got the meaning – she just didn't see how it could ever matter.

He turned his gaze to their hands, which at some point had become entangled. "You deserve someone better," he muttered.

"Fine," she replied, ignoring the sharp turn his head made towards her. Her fingers grasped the ring he gave her, the one that told her he loved her. "I guess you'll be wanting this back then? Maybe you can cash it at a pawn shop and get your money back."

He shook his head in shock. "I…"

"Do you really think I'd pick some rich guy over you?" she asked with a smile. "You said I deserved the world, you _are_ my world, Danny."

He chuckled softly, bumping his forehead against hers. "That is sad, Montana," he quipped.

"It's a sad truth, Messer," she replied, placing a gentle and loving kiss to his lips. "You're all I need for the world to be mine."

Closing his eyes, Danny smiled and together they sat in silence for minutes which seemed like hours, content with the simple touch of the other. It was a little while before Danny groaned as he attempted to get up, failing miserably as Lindsay tugged him back down. "We still gotta work, Montana. I'm done with the ego-strokin'," he said with a grin.

"Our guy confessed, didn't Flack tell you?" Lindsay asked.

"No…" he answered. "Flack went off to pick someone up, I came straight here. Why didn't you call me?"

Shrugging, she replied, "Thought you were with Flack, so we told him to tell you."

"Was it the garden boy?" he asked eagerly.

"Complete with green fibres from his uniform and prints all over the vic's clothes. Blood on the bottom of his boots backed up the confession," she explained.

Danny nodded, "I knew it."

"We have paperwork."

He groaned, "Knew that too."

It was a few minutes later before they decided to get up. A thought struck Danny, an answer he really needed. "Montana?"

"Yeah?" She turned to him.

"Would you…I mean…were you really going to give the ring back?" he asked shyly. He hoped to god the answer was no.

Lindsay smirked and patted his cheek playfully. "Not even if you said please."

* * *

**_A/N: Suggestions? Please review and tell me what you thought._**

**_Thanks,_**

**_Gaelen K._**


	34. When Comes Next?

**_A/N: A great many thanks to all of you who've read and/or reviewed this fic. This is in fact the last chapter of A Life With You. Visit my profile for more info._**

**_Sally Jetson deserves a medal for even attempting to beta my work. Thanks for everything!_**

* * *

It was 4 A.M. sharp when Lindsay awoke from the near-silent closing of the front door, her CSI instincts immediately alerting her. She could feel her heart beginning to beat faster and harder as adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream. Five seconds passed, then ten, before a cell phone began to ring. She exhaled loudly, her body relaxing into the soft mattress of her bed at the recognition of the song. With her own phone lying seemingly lifeless on the bedside stand, she figured that unless Michael Bublé was paying her a private visit at 4 A.M. in the morning, it was Danny who had gotten off unexpectedly early. The latter proved her right as she caught the hints of his muffled voice from beyond the partially closed bedroom door. She found it odd that Danny hadn't turned any of the lights on. Whoever it was that called, it wasn't a long conversation before she heard Danny shuffling through the apartment in darkness. She heard the kitchen cupboards creaking, the unmistakeable clang of glass against the table top and then the swift sound of the fridge doors opening and closing. Glass meeting the sink came a few seconds later. 

Curled up in bed, Lindsay had her back to Danny's side of the bed. The moonlight streamed through the small window in the corner onto her face. She felt his presence before the bedroom door creaked as it was softly nudged open. Then the scent of his cologne reached her nose and she heard the shuffle of his clothes as he shed them. She never realised how loud fabric could really be, and with her eyes closed, it was as if she could see each and every one of his movements through her ears. A short click later, Lindsay saw the room brighten slightly from behind her eyelids. Danny had turned on the bathroom lights. She heard the toilet flush and the water from the tap run before the light went out. Soon enough there was a dip in the bed and she heard him release a soft sigh as he climbed into bed beside her. His arms encircled her petite frame and pulled her tightly against him, his face lying gently against her neck.

"Sorry I woke you up, Montana," he whispered tiredly, linking their hands together against her front. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," Lindsay replied in kind. "Interesting case?" she asked.

Danny sighed and bit his lip in silence. A part of him was used to what he was feeling; the desire to forget with more than a couple of drinks. But lately, he'd found that talking about it with Lindsay served the same purpose without the hangover in the morning. Like all CSIs, everyone has a case that'll haunt them. It seemed that the one he just help solved would most likely stay in his mind for a while, and undoubtedly, Stella's too.

Noting his silence, Lindsay turned to him, wrapping her arms around his torso. "You want to talk about it?" she asked, knowing that his silence meant the case had gotten to him. Working around death on a daily basis, on some level she could admit to being familiar with it, but similarly it didn't mean that death was the same in every case. Sometimes, a case struck a particular cord within, a scene, an act that left the heart seemingly bottomless and empty. She was familiar with the feeling; it had accompanied her for the most part of her life. But now, those feelings never struck as strongly as they once did with the death of her friends. Not since Danny had stepped into her life, or rather, not since she had stepped into his apartment.

Taking a deep breath, Danny remained silent as he laid his head against her shoulder. "It was an 8 year-old boy," he explained. "He was beaten to death," he paused, "with a baseball bat."

Lindsay's eyes widened in shock and horror as human nature kicked in. A picture of her 8 year-old cousin appeared in her mind, bruised and beaten, his eyes empty and lifeless. The thought sent a shiver down her spine and she pulled his body tighter against hers. "Did you catch whoever did it?" she asked with barely constrained anger. She couldn't think of a single reason as to why such an innocent soul could ever have deserved death as a punishment. Her tiredness left her in a heartbeat and, for a moment, her intention of comforting the man beside her too.

"Yeah, we got her," he replied, his voice hovering on a bare whisper.

Taking a breath, she asked the final question. "Who?"

"His step-mom," he replied after a moment of silence. "The kid was her husband's, came to live with them about a year ago. She said ever since then she had to compete with him for her husband's attention. She got sick of it, got sick of the kid so she got rid of him."

Whatever anger she previously harboured dissipated at the sound of his pained voice. Holding him tight, she placed a kiss to his forehead. "Danny…"

"She cried in front of me, said she didn't do it. I believed her, defended her."

Lindsay sighed, "Anyone would have, Dan. She was his mother."

"She didn't seem to think so; said the kid stole her husband from her," he let loose an empty laugh, "she lost him on her own anyway."

"Huh?"

"Stella called when I came through the door," he told her. "Night shift's processing a possible suicide."

"The husband….," muttered Lindsay. "He lost his wife and his son."

Danny nodded with a sigh. It didn't feel like he'd be succumbing to sleep at any time soon. "I'm gonna pop in a movie or something," he said, sitting up and bringing his legs over the edge of the bed. Turning to Lindsay, he bent across and placed a kiss to her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"You're going to watch a movie – now?" asked Lindsay. "You need to get some rest Dan."

He turned away and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I can't sleep."

"You haven't even tried yet," she countered softly. "Danny…"

"I can't get the picture out of my head."

Without a word, Lindsay got up and moved to sit beside him, taking his hand. "Want some hot chocolate?" she asked with a smile.

"I need a beer," Danny replied.

Pulling him to his feet, she guided him to the TV. "We're out of beer," she said as he collapsed onto the couch.

Danny sighed again, this time with a knowing smile. There was no way she was going to let him drink to oblivion just to forget. 'Guess that ain't happenin' any more,' he mused.

"How about that hot chocolate?" Lindsay repeated, yelping as Danny pulled her down onto his lap.

He smiled and kissed her, feeling the tension seep away with every second their lips came into contact. "Go back to sleep, Montana," he said as they parted. "I can make my own."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," she replied and moments later suggested, "Why don't you pop in a movie and I'll go make something to satisfy my chocolate craving."

"So _that's_ why you wont let me have a beer," he teased.

Lindsay laughed and got off his lap, heading towards the kitchen.

"Montana?"

She turned back to face him. "Yeah?"

"Why…"

…_Are you doing all of this?_

"Because you'd do the same for me," she replied with a smile.

_And more…_

As the sky outside slowly brightened to a dim purple-blue, Danny blinked awake and realised the morning had come – by his standards, far too soon. It took a moment for his brain to catch up as he realised where he was: lying on the couch against the cushions with Lindsay spooned against him, still in peaceful slumber. He spent a minute relishing the feel of her against him, loving the warmth that her body seemed to provide. A buzz emanating from the coffee table grabbed his attention, his phone vibrating on the old oak surface, out of reach. Pinned to the couch with Lindsay's weight above him, Danny had to accept the fact that he was going to have to wake her up. He glanced at the clock on the far wall and noted the time: 6:45 A.M. He'd set his phone's alarm knowing that Lindsay had an early shift whilst he was only expected in by two.

Trailing the side of her face with a finger, he gentle poked her nose, and suppressed a chuckle at her face's distortion. He'd done the same thing their first night together and it seemed so long ago that he had been trying hard to win her affection. It never occurred to him that he'd ever end up here, Lindsay in his arms, a mere week away from his wedding.

"What're you smiling at?"

Danny blinked and looked down to see Lindsay looking up at him with a gentle smile, her voice having brought his wandering mind back to his body. "You," he replied with a smile, bending down to place a kiss to her soft, kissable lips. Morning, day or night, she'd be as beautiful to him as ever. "Mornin'," he whispered, his kisses slipping away to trail down to her neck.

"Good Morning," Lindsay replied with a giggle as his stubble began to tickle. "We fell asleep."

Danny chuckled, "Good call, Montana. I'd never have guessed."

"Shut up," she chastised, bending her arm around to poke at his ribs.

Bucking sharply at the pain, Danny glared at her, although the look of pure innocence she gave him was slowly draining his thoughts. He closed his eyes and let it go, happy to peacefully lie with her. The phone, which had unnoticeably gone silent, began to vibrate once more, eliciting a groan of irritation from him as he tried to swipe at it.

Seeing his attempts go cold, Lindsay reached over and switched off the alarm before snuggling back into the warm comfort of his body. She turned to face him, her head lying on his shoulder. "I've got to get ready for work," she said, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"You think I woke you up for no reason?" he asked with a grin. He laughed as she began to hit him. Catching her hands, he held them above her head before expertly twisting their bodies so she lay pinned beneath him. "It's not nice to hit people, Montana."

"It's relatively accepted in this world to hit bad people," Lindsay countered, poking her tongue out.

Danny chuckled and leaned in closer, his mouth mere centimetres from her ear. "You know in a week that can be considered spousal abuse."

Below him, Lindsay melted slightly and she felt his weight settle beside her. Her body relaxed and she felt his cheek against the top of her head. "We're getting married in a week."

"You're going to be Mrs. Messer in a week," Danny added. "You are…taking my name – right?"

Lindsay dipped her head, hiding her face from his eyes and replied, "Do I have a choice?"

"Honey, of course you do! I just thought…"

"You thought right," said Lindsay, smiling as he tipped head back up. She laughed as his worry dissipated from his features. "Lindsay Messer has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Danny smiled, bumping their foreheads together. "You bet," he replied, his hands cradling her face as their lips met in a soft and loving kiss. As they parted, Danny manoeuvred them both onto their sides and wrapped his arms tightly against her, contradicting his next few words. "You need to get to work. Gonna be late."

"And whose fault is that?" asked Lindsay. "I'm effectively incarcerated."

Danny blinked, twice, incarceration? "You call this incarceration?"

"I'm being held against my will aren't I?"

"Don't tempt me," he warned with a smile. Running his fingers through her silky hair, he leaned in for another kiss, loving and soft. "You're going to be late," he told her again.

Lindsay nodded but remained by his side, her eyes closed with contentment on her face. "Don't want to move," she whispered happily against the material of his t-shirt. "It's your fault for being so comfortable."

Danny smirked and moved to get up, chuckling as Lindsay complained about the movement. "You're going to get us both in trouble," he said, narrowing his eyes on her.

The smile he used softened his words but Lindsay knew that he was right. As okay as Mac was in accepting and tolerating their relationship, she knew they could only push the man so far. Neither she nor Danny had even the slightest urge to test his boundaries and if she wasn't up and ready soon, she'd be answering her lateness to Mac alone, with her fiancé most likely playing the 'I was asleep' card. She scoffed inwardly at the thought; getting each other in trouble was steadily becoming a hobby. Groaning, she allowed him to drag her up and yelped with shock when he picked her up, hung her over his shoulder and carried her to the bedroom.

After a hasty exit from the apartment, a face-down on the bed waving Danny, a number of coffee spills and a near miss of the subway, Lindsay sighed with relief. Technically she was still 2 minutes early for her shift, but she wasn't counting. Catching her breath, she made her way to their shared office, hoping that the day would turn out less dramatic than her morning had been. Turning into the glass-walled office, Lindsay smiled at Stella who seemed to have just arrived as well.

"Morning," Lindsay greeted.

Stella smiled. "Morning," she replied. "Ready for a day of what seems to be paperwork galore?"

"No new cases?" Lindsay asked, a tinge of disappointment mixing into her voice. Paperwork carried with it as much excitement as watching your nails grow. In fact, there were times she could swear the latter was more thrilling. She sighed and flipped open more files, skimming through to refresh her memory of all her recent cases. Faced with imminent boredom, Lindsay had to admit that a part of her was glad for the lack of cases, giving her ample time to complete the administrative aspect of her occupation.

Shaking her head, Stella replied, "None for us. Mac and Hawkes are working a new case." Apparently, Lindsay's earlier wish of a stress-free, non-dramatic day seemed to be coming true.

Working in silence ended prematurely as both Lindsay and Stella soon lost all interest in the procedures of making their findings understandable. As the hours rolled by, the two took turns sharing their more interesting cases. Lindsay had been halfway through explaining an unsolved murder in Bozeman when she was interrupted by the ring of her cell phone. Checking the caller ID, she couldn't help but giggle as the text said: 'Batman'. There was no doubt Danny had been fiddling with her phone again, getting back at the time she switched her entry with Isabel's.

Excusing herself, Lindsay ignored the knowing look Stella shot her, flipped her phone open and answered, "Monroe."

"I'm hungry," was Danny's short and uncanny response.

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at his bluntness and shot back, "You're always hungry."

"I work better with food, I'm always working." He thought the connection was sound. Getting nothing but a giggles in response, Danny asked impatiently, "You free for lunch? I've still got an hour before I'm expected."

Checking her watch, Lindsay replied, "I'm off in 15 minutes. It's been a slow day."

"I'll be there in 5," Danny replied and judging by the background noise, Lindsay gathered that he was on the subway. "No new cases?"

"None," Lindsay replied wistfully. "You'll have paperwork waiting for you."

Danny groaned. "Joy"

"Just be glad you're not in for an entire shift," said Lindsay, knowing that Danny was only asked in to finish the paperwork for his case since the court case had been pushed up. She signed the report she had just finished and set it aside. "I've got to go; need to get this report to Mac."

"Do you find green hair hot?"

"Depends where it is," Lindsay replied. "Green?"

Danny cringed, pretending to glance at the wall next to the man at the end of the carriage, who sported vivid green hair. "Green," he confirmed before a thought hit him. "What do you mean depends where it is?"

"Bye Danny," said Lindsay before hanging up. She burst into laughter at the look of confusion Stella shot her, shaking her head as Stella's eyebrows ran headlong into her hairline.

"What's so funny?" Stella asked, slightly amused. "Green-"

"Hair," Lindsay finished. Getting up, she grabbed the finished report and headed out the door in search of Mac. "Bye."

After handing in her report, Lindsay headed straight for the locker room to get her bag and coat. Stepping into the locker room, she smiled as one of the lab techs left and opened her locker. She contemplated on changing before Danny arrived. Grinning, she shook her head and closed the locker shut after getting the things she needed. She jumped when a pair of arms snaked their way around her waist from behind. "Danny!" she squealed as he tugged and pulled her against him.

"I missed you," he whispered.

Lindsay shivered at the feel of his warm breath against her ear. She turned to face him and leaned in for a kiss. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I slept fine given the circumstances," Danny replied with a chuckle. "Stop worryin' 'bout me, Montana."

Ignoring the latter part of his comment, Lindsay asked, "What circumstances?"

"You weren't there with me," Danny replied with a grin, nuzzling his nose against Lindsay's cheek.

"Cute, Messer."

Danny froze and turned around to see Stella's smirk prominently displayed on her face as she leaned against the door frame. He gulped and grinned innocently.

From her position against the doorway, Stella found it interesting that although Danny was blushing at having been caught invading Lindsay's personal space, he still remained in that position, arms around her waist. She met Lindsay's eyes and the two began to laugh. Danny, looking back and forth between the two women in confusion remained silent. He'd get the same response if he asked anyway; 'It's a woman thing.' He didn't really get how laughing, obviously, at him was a woman thing but decided to let it go. Stepping away, he held out an arm to Lindsay. "Ready to go?" he asked with a grin.

Giggling at his gentlemanly behaviour, Lindsay nodded and took his arm, allowing him to lead them out of the room. Passing by Stella, Lindsay saw the wink Danny gave her and laughed. She just couldn't help it.

As the two sat at their favourite café a few blocks down the road, Danny smiled as the waitress took their orders and walked off. He turned to Lindsay to see her peering through her glass of wine. "Everythin' okay there, Montana?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

Lindsay looked up with a look of mock-surprise. "I didn't realise you were done," she replied. Scoffing, she couldn't help but send a glare to where the waitress now stood, eyes seemingly locked onto Danny like a homing device.

"Done doing what?" Danny asked innocently. He was a little confused, not knowing exactly what Lindsay was getting at. "Honey?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes and replied, "The waitress seems to enjoy your company."

Finally it clicked in his mind. Giving her hand a squeeze, he brought it up to his cheek and kissed her palm. "Come on, Montana…"

"I'm just being stupid, I know."

Chucking, Danny stood up, walked over, and bent down to kiss her firmly on the lips, his hand gently cradling the frame of her face. Pulling back, he whispered to her, "Better?"

Lindsay smiled with her face still in his warm hands. She cast her glare behind him and said, "Your waitress isn't too happy with me."

Danny laughed, returned to his seat and took a sip of his coke. "We can leave if you want."

"It's fine," Lindsay replied. "I'm just being…"

"Extremely jealous for no good reason?" he supplied with a smirk. "You've got no cause to be. Flack on the other hand…"

"Flack?"

Danny nodded and leaned in. "Had to cancel his dinner plans with Rebecca. She's got to work a case with an ol' friend."

"The homicide detective from Colorado?" asked Lindsay with interest. "I heard he's a good looking guy. Isn't Flack working the same case?"

Shaking his head, Danny replied, "Nah, Captain assigned him to another case and signed Rebecca on since the guy knows her."

"Know how?"

"They were in the same orphanage way back when," Danny replied. "Flack's not exactly happy. You know how he is."

Lindsay snorted and took a sip of her water. "Jealous much?"

Danny shrugged.

"You thought I was cheating on you with a man twice my age. Shows how much you know, Messer," Lindsay replied with a grin.

"It's not unheard of," he defended.

"With my father's best friend," Lindsay pointed out.

"I didn't know!" Danny sighed. "Can we please not bring that particular memory back? I'd rather forget it happened."

"You're cute when you do that," said Lindsay with a smile.

Danny raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"When you look all guilty," she replied with a laugh as the waitress brought over their food.

Picking up his fork, Danny asked, "Can we just eat please? I'm hungry."

Lindsay laughed.

XXXXXX

It was around 8 P.M. when Flack walked into the precinct carrying a bag of takeout for three. Seeing that his dinner plans were shelved since Rebecca had to work late, he thought it would be nice to bring around some food for her friend as well. Walking through the door, he smiled as officers passed back and forth doing their jobs. Setting the food on his desk, he walked around attempting to locate the two of them but had no luck; they didn't seem to be in the building.

Returning to his desk, Flack sighed and picked up the bag. Perhaps they were out on a lead. He gave the large room another once over before plopping down onto his chair.

"Y'alright there, Don?"

Flack looked up to see Vicaro, a good friend of his smiling down at him. "Yeah, I'm alright. You seen Pierce anywhere?"

"Pierce?" Vicaro repeated. "Yeah, she went out for some food with Colorado."

"Pierce and Carter?" repeated Flack with a frown.

Vicaro nodded with a grin. "Yeah why? Something up?"

"Nah," Flack replied. "Just wanted t'know."

Vicaro smiled and eyed the bag on Flack's desk. He peered in to see its contents and whistled. "Hope some of that's for me, Man. I'm starving."

Plastering on a grin, Flack replied, "Help yourself."

"Best Chinese in town!" said Vicaro with glee. "Thanks man."

Watching Vicaro all but run with the food, Flack leaned into his chair, wondering where the sudden ache in his chest came from. Thinking nothing of it, believing it to be nothing more than stress, he got up and headed home.

-END-

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**_A/N: Suggestions? Please review and share your thoughts. (visit profile for more fic info)_**

**_Thanks to all of you who've followed this long and winding story from the beginning. Your unrelenting support has been amazing and always will be welcomed._**

**_Gaelen Kerr_**


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